Winter can be great fun, preparing for the holidays, maybe seeing family not seen for a while, enjoying shopping for gifts for people, bracing walks on crisp winter days. It can also be a time of stress, worrying about how you will afford Christmas, who you will spend it with, if anyone, what impact the cold weather is having on health as you worry about heating bills, maybe even finding your mood has dipped as you experience what is known as seasonal affective disorder, a form of winter depression.
Sometimes there aren't easy answers, but maybe wee changes can make a difference. COPE Scotland put together this wee booklet of winter wellness, it offers some ideas on staying warm and well in winter as well as some useful contact numbers. Sometimes the festive season can be overwhelming, some wee ideas to manage festive stress:
None of us alone have all the answers, and sometimes some of the questions and situations don't have any easy answers, but, if we work together and care about each other, then perhaps we can find a way where each of us suffers less.
If things do become overwhelming at Christmas and you need to talk to someone, you may even be thinking about suicide, these contacts may be useful.
Chris's House
T: 01236 766755