Mental health support this Christmas and New Year

Christmas and the festive holidays can be a tough time for many people – for many reasons.

If you, or someone you know, are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, are experiencing a low mood right now or are struggling to cope, we want you to know that there is support available over this time.

Christmas can be a testing time mentally, emotionally, physically and financially for many people. It’s okay if you’re not feeling full of joy during the festive season.

A new campaign from NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria is making sure their Talking Therapies service is reaching as many people as possible

Talking therapies can offer one to one treatment and is there to help you to help yourself and provide you with the tools you need to get back to enjoying life, work or daily activities.

We often find it useful to talk through our problems with a friend or family member but sometimes we may need to talk to someone who is trained to help us to make positive changes.

Talking therapies can help anyone who is:

• Feeling depressed
• Experiencing feelings of panic
• Finding it hard to control worry
• Feeling low
• Experiencing fear of specific objects or situations
• Feeling stressed
• Experiencing fear of social situations
• Struggling to come to terms with or experiencing flashbacks of traumatic events
• Obsessing about thoughts or stuck in repetitive routines

To contact Talking Therapies in Blackburn with Darwen, call: (01254 226037). For more information visit the website: www.lscft.nhs.uk/talkingtherapies

As well as this, and as well as talking to friends and family if you are able, if you’re feeling low, anxious or worried there are a number of services that can help. The following links provide access to help and advice during the festive season.

• To talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can contact the Samaritans, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 116 123 (free from any phone), or email jo@samaritans.org
• SANEline. If you’re experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4pm–10pm every day of the year).
• Papyrus HOPELINEUK. If you’re under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07860 039 967.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). If you identify as male, you can call the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) or use their webchat service.
• Bereavement Support Grief can be overwhelming, particularly at Christmas. Call the Cruse helpline on 0808 808 1677. Check the Christmas opening hours
• NHS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS LINE: If you need urgent help as you are in mental health distress and you are over 16 you can call 0800 953 0110 - 24 hours, seven days a week
• NHS Wellbeing Helpline & Texting Service, staffed by volunteers and those with lived experience, that offers emotional support – ring if you want to chat about your mental health or are lonely etc. It can be contacted on 0800 915 4640 or by texting ‘Hello’ to 07860 022 846. Available throughout Christmas, though check the opening times here…