Staying well during the holiday season – 2021 Edition

This time of year can be difficult. Add to this a new COVID variant, coming out of lockdown and opening up, there are many situations that might increase anxieties this year. If things start to feel overwhelming, please reach out to support services, links for which we have provided here.

As with every December, WSRC have collated a list of interesting articles and content that you might like to read/view. You can add some ideas from these for your self-care toolbox if you like.

• Here are a few straightforward articles about dealing with different types of Christmas stress:
  • ‘Beating Christmas Stress & Anxiety’ from Healthdirect
  • ’10 tips to stress less during the holidays’ from Wayahead
  • ‘Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping’ from the Mayo Clinic
• This time of year can be particularly difficult for people who have experienced trauma. This article on Psychology Today provides some explanation for why this is the case, and this blog post from Beauty After Bruises shares a great list of tips for Surviving the Holidays with C-PTSD / DID.
• Check out this explainer article about languishing on Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus site, which has some ideas about how to gradually restore motivation.
• Reflecting on workplace mental health after the past two years? Check out the series of articles about Filling Your Cup on the Mental Health Coordinating Council’s website, starting with ‘Why is workplace mental health important…‘
• If you have lived experience of an eating disorder, you might find others’ talking about their new diet or exercise regime triggering. So what can you do if this happens?
• Reemerging from lockdown straight into the pointy social end of the year could be a recipe leading to burnout for those who experience social anxiety. Here are some ideas to help keep track.

Services that are available 24 hours a day:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Lifeline Crisis Text service – 0477 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
• Connections Western Sydney Helpline – 1300 096 273 – telephone counselling service.
• The Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511 – professional help and advice and referrals to local services.
• If it is an emergency, call 000.

Apps/websites:

• Visit Mind Guide to locate support services in your area.
• Clevertar is an app that will help people learn about managing their anxiety and depression. It’s free from the App Store or Google Play, just use the code word ‘wentwest’ to access it.

Don’t forget you can refer to these links and others on our Where to get help page and this great list on Beyond Blue too. If you need help, we encourage you to reach out to these services or any existing support that you have.