Shopping for "the perfect gift" can cause stress during the holidays.

The holiday season isn’t always merry and bright or holly jolly for everyone, but NAMI Butler County has these practical tips to help preserve mental health during this stressful time of year.

1. Stay in therapy to provide built-in time to explore any situation that may arise.

2. Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water nourishes the brain and can improve overall mood.

3. Spend time with loved ones. Social interaction can help lessen the feelings of loneliness that can accompany the holiday season.

Shopping for "the perfect gift" can add stress to holiday shopping.

4. Find time to decompress. Take time to recharge and use coping skills, and pay attention to practices that make you feel your best.

5. Remember that it’s OK to feel the way you feel. Acknowledging feelings and working through them, rather than suppressing them, is healthy.

6. Don’t feel pressured to uphold family traditions. While they might be a comforting way to remember a loved one, family traditions can sometimes be too difficult to bear. Families will find new ways to celebrate, and traditions will adjust over time.

7. Come up with a plan. To avoid burnout, make a list and remove anything that will overtax your energy.

8. Find the best time to shop. Shopping on the less-busy weekdays and weeknights, practicing mindfulness while waiting in line can help retain calm among holiday chaos.

Take time out to do things that bring you comfort and peace.

9. Remember that NAMI HelpLine is available. Volunteers are ready to talk, text or chat to connect you with resources during the holiday season and beyond. The HelpLine is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. by calling 800-950-NAMI (6264) or by texting “HelpLine” to 62640. Online chat is available at nami.org/help. Those in crisis can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.