Written by Beth Preston
We hope you are all well and enjoying the festive season so far!
The festive season is portrayed as a time of joy and high spirits – ‘Tis the season to be jolly’ after all. Many people use the festive season as a time to reflect on the year that’s past and the year ahead. This can be very difficult, especially if we have faced or are facing difficulties and hardship.
Many people feel particularly anxious during the festive season with 25% of Brits reporting an increase in anxiety during the festive season, or experiencing a new ‘festive anxiety’.
During this time it is important that we take measures to nurture our mental health and well-being, to keep in touch with those around us and make plans for the year ahead (even if they end up changing). Although it is only natural to reflect on the negative experiences, it is important to also focus on the positive ones too, as it helps us strike a balance. It is beneficial to take time to practice self-care and mindfulness, and simply be kind to yourself.
Why do I feel more Anxious At Christmas?
Financial difficulties may contribute to developing or having a spike in anxiety during the festive season, with presents to buy, outfits to pick out and all the festive “essentials” such as tree decorations and gift-wrapping that need to be considered. Navigating your way through crowded shopping centres can also prove to be a nightmare!
Not everyone has family and friends to spend the holiday with, and those of us who have experienced the loss of a loved one may find Christmas particularly difficult.
Those of us with social media may also feel even more pressure to have a “perfect holiday” as our feeds continually update us on the developments of other peoples’ lives.
For some, there may be no concrete reason why Christmas causes their anxiety to spike. Darker evenings and colder weather can have an impact on our daily lives, and going for days without seeing any sunlight can lead to feelings of sadness and even depression.
A gift from us to you...
Anxiety UK has produced a really useful booklet which offers simple tips, distraction techniques and activities for looking after yourself during this festive season. To help you nurture your mental health and well-being this festive season, we have purchased a downloadable version of this for you to access freely.
If you are beginning to struggle as the festive season approaches, please reach out.
Other support services:
Samaritans 116 123
Calm 0800 58 58 58
Anxiety UK 03444 775 774
(Text Support 07537 416 905)
Wishing you all a very peaceful festive season
Team Medirek
