Staying Mentally Well Over Christmas
Well this year has been tough!
It started with Australian bushfires, Prince Harry and Megan Markle quit the royal family, then we got hit with a pandemic, we entered a long period of lockdown, the killing of George Floyd sparked Black life’s matter protests, Murder hornets arrived in the US, a massive explosion hit Beirut, we enter another lockdown and Joe Biden becomes president-elect.
Can any more major events happen this year? Well maybe it can but its important that we recognise this has been pretty tough for us all, especially on our mental health.
“We aren’t all in the same boat, but we are all riding the same storm”
As we move into winter, it can be a lonely and challenging time for many people. People may have lost loved ones, be struggling at home, have no family nearby or missing loved ones as we follow the latest guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our bubbles. It’s really important we take time to ask one another ‘are you ok?’.
Five ways to wellbeing
Try just taking one of the NHS five steps to wellbeing to improve your mental health
Connect with other people –Christmas can be a time for connecting with other people and it might be that this year it must be via video call. It’s important to stay in touch with family and friends so you can build a sense of belonging, provide an opportunity to share positive experiences and give emotional support. Research suggests that loneliness can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. If you know someone who is alone this Christmas, why don’t you give them a call or a message. It could make their day!
Be physically active – evidence shows physical activity can improve your mental wellbeing. Enjoy the outdoors walking with your bubble.
Learn new skills – research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing boosting your self-confidence and giving you a sense of purpose. Creativity, nature and mental health activity
Give to others – Christmas is a time for giving and sharing and acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by creating positive feelings and help you connect with other people. You don’t need to buy gifts – giving your time to helps someone or having a chat with a lonely person can mean more to someone than anything you could buy.
Pay attention to the present moment – take moments to have some calm time and a break away from the stresses of everyday life. Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better.
Final note- The world may seem upside down and topsy turvy right now, but people still care. The weather outside might be cold and dark but the world is full of kind people who care. Be Kind to yourself, be kind to others!
Emergency Support
If you are looking for help in an emergency or feel you need support urgently, you could try one or more of these options (open 24 hours every day unless otherwise stated):
• Phone for an ambulance and/or the Police on 999.
• You can access the NHS 111 Service telephone 111 (24 hrs a day)
• Phone the NHS Mental Health Access Service for South Staffordshire call: 0808 196 3002 South and for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin on 0808 196 4501. www.mpft.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-community-services
• Phone the NHS Mental Health Access Team for Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire on 0300 123 0907. www.combined.nhs.uk/our-services/adult-community/accessteam
Other Support
If you are looking for support outside of University Christmas opening times, or are having suicidal thoughts
Togetherall
Join the online mental health community, accessible anywhere, anytime. Peer support, resources for self-management, information and advice, support programmes. Live therapy can be booked quickly. Open: 7.00 - 23.00, 7 days a week (Monitored 24/7 by trained clinicians)
Visit: www.togetherall.com This site is not intended for use in an emergency - please dial 999
Student Space
Get free, confidential support by phone from a trained volunteer, from 3pm to 11pm every day.
Call free on 0808 189 5260 or email students@themix.org.uk.
Papyrus HOPELineUK
Open: everyday 9:00am – 12:00pm all days inc bank holidays.
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org Tel: 0800 068 4141 Text: 07786 209697
Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline
Open: 19.00 - 2.00 weekdays, 14.00 - 2.00 weekends Tel: 0808 800 2234
Email: staffordshire.helpline@brighter-futures.org.uk Tel: 07860 022821 Visit: www.brighter-futures.org.uk
Samaritans
Visit: www.samaritans.org Tel: 116 123 (24 hrs every day) Email: jo@samaritans.org
