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 Although the holiday season has come and gone and the frenetic pace of life has slowed, some of your TRICARE beneficiaries may still be dealing with lingering holiday stress.
For some of your patients, the weeks and months after the holiday season can be a time of stress and depression. Perhaps it comes from spending the season with a loved one deployed overseas, or maybe it’s the holiday bills that have started piling up in the mailbox.
According to Dr. Jason Schmotzer, a psychologist with ValueOptions Federal Division, most cases of post-holiday depression or anxiety seem to occur during the month of January.
TRICARE is here to help you assist patients who may be experiencing difficulties at this time.
Your patients who use TRICARE Prime may “self-refer” to a network provider for outpatient behavioral health care. They are entitled to the first eight visits per fiscal year without an authorization. For help with finding a behavioral health care provider, they can call Humana Military’s behavioral health services subcontractor, ValueOptions, at 1-800-700-8646. Active duty service members must have referrals—even for the first eight visits.
“There are several reasons for the post-holiday blues, but the most common reason seems to be high expectations from the holiday season,” said Schmotzer. “If the reality doesn’t meet their expectations, they feel disappointed.”
Many families have ongoing problems that sometimes create tension. This tension can be heightened during the holidays and ruin an otherwise happy celebration. This is especially true when heavy alcohol use is a factor.
The holidays can also heighten feelings of loss because of the death of a family member or a divorce. It’s important to help patients acknowledge their feelings of hurt or loss and discuss them.
As a TRICARE provider, you should be on the lookout for these signs of post-holiday stress and depression. Along with high expectations, other holiday stressors include financial burdens, spreading oneself too thin, increased alcohol consumption, changed routines and time to reflect on what took place during the holidays.
“Even sitting down with your patients to chat for five minutes can be helpful,” said Schmotzer.
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