Christmas Reminders and Mental Health Support

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

Christmas can be magical, fun and full of joy, but it can also be overwhelming and difficult. Here are some reminders for anyone who needs them.

1. It’s okay if you’re struggling

2. You are allowed to say no

3. You are not a burden

4. You are more important than other people’s expectations (a.k.a. if you need to say no then that is okay!)

5. Christmas looks different for everyone (and those photos on social media are not reality)

6. It’s okay to take breaks

7. You are not alone

8. It’s okay if you need to just get through the day

Mental Health Support over Christmas:

There are helplines open over the festive period if you need support. I would really encourage you to reach out to one if you are struggling.

• Childline - for under 19s. Open 24/7 including Christmas Day. You can contact Childline by: Calling 0800 1111, sending an email, and using the online 1-2-1 chat.

• Samaritans - Open 24/7 including Christmas Day. Call for free on 116 123. Or email jo@samaritans.org (response time for email can be several days).

• Shout - Open 24/7 including Christmas Day. Text ‘Shout’ to 85258.

• HOPELINE247 (Papyrus) - for under 35s experiencing thoughts of suicide or anyone concerned about a young person. Open 24/7 including Christmas Day. Call 0800 068 4141 or text 88247 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.

• CALM - suicide prevention helpline and webchat. Open 5pm-midnight daily including Christmas Day. Call 0800 585858 or message via livechat or WhatsApp.

• SANE Mental Health Charity - for over 16s affected by mental illness including family, friends and carers. Open 4pm-10pm daily including Christmas Day. Call 0300 304 7000.

• Mind - Support line open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm (apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day). Call 0300 102 1234.

• Beat Eating Disorders - for anyone struggling with an eating disorder. Open 3pm-8pm Monday-Friday including Christmas Day. Call 0808 801 0677 (England), 0808 801 0432 (Scotland), 0808 801 0433 (Wales) or 0808 801 0434 (Northern Ireland).

• Cruse Bereavement Support - for anyone struggling with grief. Helpline open from 10am-2pm Christmas Day - find the Christmas period schedule here. Call for free on 0808 808 1677 or get in touch via their webform.

• Switchboard LGBTQIA+ Support Line - Open 10am-10pm daily including Christmas Day. Call 0800 0119 100 or chat via instant messaging or email.

• National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge) - for anyone experiencing or who has experienced domestic abuse. Helpline open 24/7 including Christmas Day. Call 0808 2000 247. Live Chat is open from 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.

• The Silver Line (Age UK) - for over 55’s who may feel lonely or isolated. Open 24/7 including Christmas Day. Call for free on 0800 470 8090.

I hope that this week is filled with joy and moments of rest, but if it isn’t - that’s okay. Try to hold on to any glimpses of joy and remember there is always hope.

Love, Emily x

See also: An Autistic Guide to Christmas

GIRL UNMASKED (The Sunday Times Bestseller) is available to order from Amazon and all major bookstores!
https://linktr.ee/girlunmasked.