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 in your life
• Feel frustrated by other people's views of a 'perfect' Christmas, if these feel different to your experiences
• Have ideas about what Christmas should be like, feel as if you need to enjoy it or worry something will ruin it
• Feel like Christmas gives you something to focus on and look forward to, and find it difficult when it's over
• Want to celebrate with someone who's struggling

Listening to other people's exciting plans makes me feel like an alien being, as I don't have all those wonderful relationships in my life.

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. Enjoying Christmas 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. Some of these services may be closed during the Christmas period.
• Your usual routines may be disrupted, which might make it harder to manage your mental health.
• If you celebrate other religious festivals or holidays, you may feel overlooked. It might feel like Christmas is given special attention.
• New Year can also be a hard time. It can make us look back at difficult memories or worry about the coming year. We might also reflect on our lives, and regret things we haven't achieved. 

What can I do to get through Christmas?

If Christmas is a hard time for you, it's important to remember that you are not alone. There are things you can try that might help, such as:

• Learn about why Christmas is hard for many people
• Read tips to help you cope at Christmas
• Find ways to support others during Christmas
• Discover useful contacts for finding support at Christmas

Looking after yourself

• Be gentle and patient with yourself. It might help to think about what is best for your wellbeing during Christmas, and prioritise what you need. 
• Remind yourself that it won't last forever. You could set a 'start' and 'finish' time for what you count as Christmas. 
• Set your boundaries. Try to say no to things that aren't helpful for you.
• Let yourself experience your own feelings. Even if they don't match what's going on around you, they're still valid. For example, if you don't feel like celebrating Christmas when everyone else does.
• Take time out. Do something to forget that it's Christmas or distract yourself. For example, you could watch a film or read a book that's set in the summer. Or you could try learning a new skill.
• Let yourself have the things you need. For example, if you need to take a break instead of doing an activity, or need a little bit of quiet time.
• If you can't avoid doing something difficult, plan something for yourself afterwards to help reduce the stress or distress you might feel.

Content sourced from Mind (mind.org.uk).