Have a Very Merry, Mentally Healthy Christmas.. Why it's not for me
I have been sitting on this blog post for a good few weeks now, tossing up whether or not to post it. Now, I am not one to care very much about what other people think of me, especially when it comes to being fully open and honest about my mental health issues.
But that was the exact reason that I have sat on this post for so long. The idea that I would be judged harshly for my stance and feelings towards the holiday season. In a nutshell, I was worried to look like a negative, self entitled asshole.
This time of year can be an enjoyable, beautiful time of year that a lot of the world looks forward to each year. I am not one of those people.
For me, Christmas Day is a special kind of hell. In my mind, it's a time of year where we force ourselves to spend half of our savings accounts lavishing gifts on everyone close to us, where the pressure of being 'happy' and 'festive' is so intense that every member of our family is so highly strung that it inevitably causes arguments and breakdowns and just tension all day.
We have so much pressure put on us to be upbeat and have 'the best day of the year' and it's all just too much. It is the one day of the year where people that struggle with mental health issues are told things like 'can't you just be happy for this one day, it's Christmas'. We are all told this. How many times have you heard family members say 'don't bring up (insert family issue here), it's Christmas', 'c'mon, just relax, it's Christmas'.
For as long as I can remember, I have dreaded Christmas Day and on Christmas Day 2016, there was a family situation that occurred that is a bit too personal for me to go into, that has just indented my dislike of the day and everything it stands for.
Ever since 2016, I have ignored Christmas Day, the Christmas season and it was absolutely the best decision I've made.
Now, this blog post is not me trying to be negative or 'ruin Christmas'. I wanted to take a second to basically give a shout out to and raise awareness for all of the people out there like me. For anyone who suffers through the holiday season for any reason, whether it be mental health issues, family problems or anything else.
For anyone who doesn't suffer, you need to be aware that this does affect a lot of people and to put that in perspective with some stats:
- Christmas is considered one of the top 6 most stressful life events, along with divorce, moving house and changing jobs (Relationships Australia 2016 Survey on Christmas Stress)
- One in ten people feel unable to cope this time of year, rising to one in three people with mental health issues (Mind, 2016)
- One in twenty people were found to consider taking their own life directly because of the festive period, rising to more than one in five with mental health issues (Mind, 2016)
Now, this doesn't just stop with people suffering from anxiety and depression. Many people who are battling or have been through battles with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have said that the festive season is the hardest part of the year, along with people who suffer from addiction disorders such as alcoholism and drug addiction.
Most of you (I hope) will agree with me that statistics don't lie. There are numbers that show us that this is the time of year that we need to be reaching out even more to our friends and family, especially those that we know struggle with mental health issues.
The stat that stands out the most to me, the one that made me cry when I read it, but also the one that I relate to more than any of these (and I do relate to every single one), is that it was reported by the Christmas Stress study done by Mind in the UK in 2016 that 58% of people with a mental health condition did not feel as though they had anyone to confide in over the festive season.
FIFTY EIGHT PERCENT. OVER HALF.
I cannot stress enough that if any of you out there are struggling, in ANY way, I am always, ALWAYS here. I have included below in the links section of this post my email address and my instagram account. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me via either of those or my number or facebook for those of you that have it.
I have also included a list of crisis and mental health helplines in Australia for those of you who do need someone to talk to also.
I have also included a list of crisis and mental health helplines in Australia for those of you who do need someone to talk to also.
Look after yourselves this Christmas and if you don't need to, look after those around you!
T
HELPLINES:
Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636
Lifeline - 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467
Alcoholics Anonymous - 1300 222 222
Narcotics Anonymous - 1300 652 820
Butterfly Eating Disorder Helpline - 1800 33 4673
Links:
Email - taylorbekkers2@gmail.com
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