Ah, New Years Eve, the most anti-climactic night of the year.
In the days leading up to NYE, the good vibes are at their strongest. We’re excited and hopeful and joyous then the clock strikes 12 and all of a sudden we’re kind of… sad?
Where does this melancholy come from? Don’t get me wrong, there are people who make it through to the new year without feeling sad. Those people are probably wildly drunk. Psychological studies even attest that many of us find NYE the most saddening day of the year.
In an endeavour to understand the odd disappointment that comes along with NYE, I’ve come across a few theories:
- Subconsciously, We’re F*cking Terrified of Our Unknowable Future
A lighthearted theory and a personal fave. According to David Ropeik, a professor in risk perception and management, celebrating NYE is basically the celebration of survival. We’re saying: “yes, didn’t die in 2019!” and what’s more cheerful than that?
Ropeik also says that New Year’s Resolutions are probably about cutting out bad habits to ensure we don’t risk dying in the following year. So perhaps subconsciously we’re experiencing some dread for the year to come – dread fuelled by the uncertainty of what’s to come and our primal desire to survive it.
- Tis’ The Time To Reflect on A Shitty Year
Look, this one seems a bit negative nelly to bring up, but each year some people will have survived the hardest period of their life: loved ones have passed, diagnoses have been dealt and hearts have been broken.
According to Vice, Dr. Larry Kubiak, Director of Psychological Services at the Tallahasee Memorial Behavioral Health Center, says: “Anytime there’s a time for reflection, you have the potential of becoming even more depressed.” So if you relate to the idea of having the most f*cked year of your life – saddle up, you may feel a wee bit sad this New Years Eve. Just know you’re not alone.
3. Going To That Party Will Probs Make You Feel More Alone
Speaking to Daily Mail, clinical psychologist Jaimie Block said the coming together of people during celebrations can highlight existing feelings of isolation or work to remind you of family conflict. She says it’s normal to experience feelings of sadness, loneliness, anger and grief during New Years Eve.
No family is perfect, but if being around yours jeopardises your happiness, get planning. Make that strategy that’ll help to preserve your happiness. Figure out a game plan to avoid negative people and maybe skip that lunch at your weird relative’s house.
4. We Chuck Our Healthy Habits and Routine Out the Window
In the days leading up to Christmas and NYE the “treat yo’ self” mantra gets a little out of hand (okay, a lot out of hand). We end up face down in a food coma on someone’s couch and multiple days may be spent nursing a sore head/ desperately trying not to vom.
It makes sense then that Dr Melissa Norberg thinks that an accumulation of over-indulging and lack of routine can lead us to feel pretty crap about ourselves. Speaking to the SMH she said: “A lack of sleep, eating poorly and drinking too much will make us fatigued. Fatigue can contribute to feeling stressed and depressed.”
Apparently, Dr Norberg is our new queen of New Year’s Eve wisdom. She serves this fresh-out-the-oven reality check:
“The holidays are not a perfect time of year,” she told the SMH. “Everyone is not having more fun. Everyone is not more successful than you.”
I’ll be storing that one in the archives.