“Blue Christmas” is more than a memorable hit song by Elvis. The phrase has come to define a time during the Christmas season when those suffering with grief, depression and anxiety find that the holidays aren’t always filled with happiness and meaningful times.

Some churches even have a “Blue Christmas” service, one that is especially sensitive to those who are grieving during the holidays.

Dr. Walter Frazier, executive director of Grace Christian Counseling Center and an ordained United Methodist minister, explained there are three facets of the phenomenon referred to as “Blue Christmas.”

“When we talk about ‘Blue Christmas,’ often we’re talking about sadness or depressive feelings,” Frazier said. “That can be consistent with a number of conditions that may be going on. For instance, somebody who’s experiencing clinical depression . . . it could be a part of just a condition that somebody has in general.”

A second factor is grief.

“Grief or even prolonged grief is something that somebody may experience as a result of a significant loss. In particular, we might think of (lost) friends or a family member or family members and oftentimes, those annual dates are more difficult. Not just the holidays, but events like Easter, Fourth of July, birthdays and anniversaries.”

Frazier identified a third contributing factor, Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as “SAD.”

“This can be attributed to the decrease in the number of minutes of sunlight in the day . . . inclement weather, so you’re inside more, maybe not getting as much sunlight,” Frazier said.

Sometimes, normal stresses associated with the holiday season can cause people to feel down.

“When we think about what might create stress for people, a lot of times, change creates stress around Christmas or holidays and taking time off disrupts routine,” Frazier said. “Having to see family can be stressful. There can be financial stressors involved with that because of the cost of travel or the cost of hosting people. Also, the purchasing of gifts has impact . . . it may be defeating or anxiety provoking, or (can cause) any number of symptoms.”

For people feeling “blue” at Christmas, Frazier said it’s important to first acknowledge the feelings are real, and to try to identify the origin of those feelings.

“Put a name to it,” he said.

Frazier said he has researched coping methods utilized by persons of faith.

“I did research on the distinction between positive coping and negative coping, particularly religious coping, and there are negative ways to cope from a religious standpoint.”

Frazier explained negative coping is taking the view that “God is blaming me for something, or God is mad at me, or God has abandoned me.” He said this way of thinking can be “deteriorating.”

“Prayer. Reaching out for help and talking to a pastor or even a friend. It’s looking at this as an opportunity, a challenge that God is there with me to help me grow,” Frazier said.

Frazier pointed out many stories and ideas oriented in faith are “optimistically oriented,” with the idea of life after death, and that “God is with us and wants us to grow and prosper.”

If someone is feeling discouraged during the holiday time, Frazier said he urges people to resist the tendency to withdraw.

“Our tendency is to isolate, to disconnect, and that’s where faith has great strength.”

Faith isn’t just about a personal belief, it’s also about community, Frazier said.

“It isn’t as simple as just going to church to pray. That’s not the way it works. Christmas Eve service, you see people you only see at the Christmas Eve service, and you connect, and you say, ‘How’s your mom doing?’ and ‘What’s happening with y’all?’ and you end up spending 20 minutes after the service is over just talking to each other.”

Frazier pointed out that church communities are unique.

“The faith community is oriented behaviorally as well as cognitively. We work together to build up, and so there’s more to it than just the theological or religious belief system,” he said. “It’s also about the practices in the community.”

He emphasized churches will often collect funds, provide food and offer other resources in times of need.

Making connections is important to help with feelings of loneliness and sadness, Frazier said.

“Get connected. Get together and tell your story and be around people that care about you. That’s important.”

For those who are considering self-harm, Frazier said, “It’s part of a very severe reaction to depression . . . (suicide) is preventable.”

If a pastor or church community are not options, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline phone number has been shortened to just three numbers–988. Licensed counselors are on hand to provide assistance for persons struggling with thoughts of suicide, mental health and substance abuse issues.