As Thanksgiving approaches, Ocean City residents are getting ready for more than just turkey and pumpkin pie. The holiday can bring family tensions, social anxiety, and the pressure to appear grateful even when life feels overwhelming. Knowing how to navigate these challenges can turn Thanksgiving into a time of genuine connection rather than stress.
Recent research shows what many of us have felt all along. Gratitude actually changes our brains. A 2023 study found that regularly practicing gratitude helps reduce stress and improve mental health by activating key brain regions involved in emotion and memory.
“Gratitude works like a gentle shift in the brain’s focus,” explains Dr. Konstantin Lukin, Ph.D. “Regular introspection into one's sources of strength and comfort activates and opens up brain networks associated with emotional stability. The practice makes it easier for the mind to return to a more stable situation, even when things are stressful.”
He adds that gratitude becomes most effective when approached as a small daily habit rather than a performance of positivity during holidays.
The good news? You don't need to ignore difficult emotions to practice gratitude. It's perfectly normal to appreciate your family while also feeling exhausted by certain dynamics.
Try this: Before dinner, list three things that brought you a moment of calm this week. They don’t have to be big—just honest.
Research shows that maintaining healthy boundaries correlates with better mental health outcomes, while poor boundaries can increase risks of anxiety and depression. Something many locals report struggling with during the holiday season.
Dr. Brooke Keels, Chief Clinical Officer at Lighthouse Recovery Texas, notes that “People who can’t set boundaries during the holidays tend to carry higher levels of anxiety and depression because they’re constantly trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. Your mental health depends on having some control over how much you take on and knowing your limits before you walk into a family gathering. Boundaries actually strengthen relationships because they create mutual respect and help everyone understand what each person needs to feel comfortable and connected.”
Setting boundaries doesn't have to involve confrontation. Here are some simple approaches that work well for many Ocean City residents:
Temporarily disappointing someone by maintaining your boundaries is better than compromising your well-being just to meet expectations.
Loneliness can feel sharper during the holidays. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory on loneliness notes that social disconnection significantly affects physical health, increasing premature death risk by up to 29%. Yet research also shows that the quality of interactions matters more than quantity.
For those spending Thanksgiving alone, volunteering or creating personal rituals can reduce isolation and enhance well-being. Even at family gatherings, one genuine conversation can provide more emotional nourishment than hours of surface-level small talk.
If you’re feeling emotionally stretched this Thanksgiving, you’re not alone. Ocean City offers several ways to find support:
Making Thanksgiving More Meaningful
This Thanksgiving, give yourself permission to prioritise mental health. Set boundaries, nurture real connections, and create space to be present.
When boundaries and connection work together, they create relationships that energize rather than drain us. By honoring both your needs and your capacity for presence, you open the door to a holiday that feels not just manageable but potentially meaningful.
As you pass the cranberry sauce this year, remember that the most nourishing thing at the table might not be the food, but the space you've created to be truly present—with others and with yourself.
