Christmas can be an overwhelming and challenging time of year and especially this year for obvious reasons. Let’s light up our Christmas trees with hope and prayers for a wonderful year ahead full of happiness, love and prosperity.
During the festive season it’s very important to take care of our well-being as it can not take a break so, here are some tips:
- Try to plan ahead, sounds obvious but it reduces last minute anxiety & stress leaving things until the final few days.
- Keep yourself well too. We are sometimes just too busy making sure everyone else is fine, remember you deserve a break too!
- It’s too easy to compare your own Christmas experience to others on social media. Don’t use a comparison, who knows the real story behind all the posts? Most people only share the “edited” best bits of their lives. Is it really worth your time thinking about them?
- Take a time out. Even if it’s a short break from being inside your home.
- Try to keep up with the family traditions with innovations and make some new ones.
- Plan some video calls with your friends and family.
- Don’t be afraid to get crafty for your Christmas tree.
- Organise a Christmas quiz over Zoom.
- Take a valuable lesson from this year and share it with your loved ones.
🎄Head High ~ CHRISTMAS ANNOUNCEMENT 🎄
This year has been such an incredibly tough year and has been challenging for our mental health, particularly this festive season.
If you’re in need of a chat or will be spending Christmas alone then join us at the virtual Night Bus on Christmas Day and Boxing Day 7pm-8pm via Zoom!
Joining details below 👇
Access to support and services
It can be harder to find out quickly what service to use, because opening hours change during the festive period.
GP surgeries tend to close over Christmas, and appointments are harder to book. For medical help, you can contact NHS 111 in England or NHS 111 in Wales.
You can access the Derbyshire mental health helpline on 0800 028 0077 – this is a Freephone number and calls from landlines or mobiles should be free. The support line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are having a difficult time you can ring the Samaritans on 116 123, 24 hours a day 7 days of the week 365 days of the year .
Pharmacies close and it can be harder to get medication. The NHS has information on getting out-of-hours medication and emergency prescriptions.
Things maybe closed when you need them. For example, food banks and other support services might be able to help ahead of Christmas, but are often closed on public holidays. You can search for food banks in your area on our website https://derbycitylifelinks.org.uk/food-banks-derby/
You can also download the mental health foundation’s “How to look after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak” https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus?bbeml=tp-EbFsTopOv0SfkgIhAgzciA.jE757Neh6rUWP42MSvC79ow.rjEmZr4uIhEmT32eide_Brg.lhpttD-J38kKaIUTSuSCE5g
Thank you to everyone who has supported and contributed to this service. To all of our hardworking staff and volunteers, we would not be in this position without you!
