Mental Health Support

Wellbeing

Whether or not Christmas is part of your life, your mental health might

be affected by it happening around you. It's a time of year that often puts

extra pressure on us and can affect our mental health in lots of different

ways. For example, if you:

• Feel alone or left out because everyone else seems happy when

you're not.

• Wish you didn't have to deal with Christmas or find it stressful because of other events.

• Feel frustrated by other people's views of a 'perfect' Christmas if these feel different to yours.

• Want to celebrate with someone who's struggling.

The festive period could affect your mental health in other ways too. For example:

• Your mental health problem might make it hard for you to spend Christmas how you want.

• Difficult and stressful experiences at Christmas could make your mental health worse.

• It might also affect your mental health, for example if it triggers hypomania or mania.

• It can be harder to access services that normally help you, during the Christmas period.

• Your experiences of last Christmas, during the coronavirus restrictions.

• If you celebrate other religious festivals or holidays, you may feel overlooked.

• New Year may also feel like a hard time, if it makes you look back at difficult memories or worry

about anything in the coming year.

If Christmas is a hard time for you or your family, it's important to remember that you are not alone.

There are things you can try that might help, such as:

• find ways to support others during Christmas

• read tips to help you cope at Christmas

• discover useful contacts for finding support at Christmas.

Use this link to learn more:

Christmas and mental health | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems

For more advice see the website below:

• East Sussex Mental Health Directory www.eastsussex.gov.uk/socialcare/healthadvice/mental-

health/directory/help For mental health resources available to residents of East Sussex

• 5 steps to mental wellbeing - 5 steps to mental wellbeing - NHS (www.nhs.uk) -

• Warning Signs Campaign - www.preventingsuicideinsussex.org/ - Understand the warning

signs someone is at risk of suicide and know what support is available locally

• Support for victims of domestic abuse - www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-

covid-19-and-domestic-abuse/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-victims-of-domestic-abuse

Citizens Advice: gives free confidential information and advice to help people sort out their

money, legal, consumer and other problems.