~Christmas….a season that strikes fear in the hearts of the most vulnerable
sometimes months in advance of the actual holidays. For some members of our
fractured society, it is most decidedly NOT “the most wonderful time of the year”.
This is a topic very dear to my heart as I am passionate about inclusion and
representing a different view of the norm. I have had some of the worst possible
times in my life over this honey trap of a holiday.

~I’d like to explain and share my own experiences in the hope of perhaps giving one
person a sense of not being alone in how they are feeling.

~There are countless reasons why Christmas is a particularly hard and frankly
dangerous time of year: addiction; exacerbation of mental health symptoms; neuro
diversity; poverty; estrangement; loneliness; isolation; physical health; domestic
violence; missing loved ones. Everything is heightened at Christmas- the adverts are
that bit shinier; the food is that bit more enticing and expensive; the pressure screws
are tightened and the idea of where we are in our lives in presented under a
microscope. The hardest part is that these factors mean that we, who struggle, are in
direct opposition to the prevailing societal narrative.

~I have complex needs as I manage a variety of mental and physical health
conditions. My biggest struggles are the critical voices in my head and how to
manage my emotions. These struggles show up in the form of amplified comparisons
I make in my head; drastic change in routine; added tasks; and complex family
relations. As someone who just about keeps afloat in daily life, this explosion of extra
tasks in the form of buying, wrapping; sending cards; change in food / menus/ meals;
different interactions; is about as welcome as overcooked sprouts left hanging
around for a day or two!!

~There seem to be so many potential pits to fall in to: entering into a comparison with
others; trying to force ourselves into pretending/ masking; swallowing or being gas lit
around our ACTUAL reality.

It seems to me that the antidote is to flip every on its head and go into turbo drive of
looking after myself. Over the many years of living with this particular body and mind,
I have slowly become more and more accepting of myself and my situation. As I
write this on the day before Christmas Eve, I have at this very moment a choice. Do I
obey my old patterns and rush around and fulfil the things I “ought” to have done OR
do I listen to a tiny voice inside that says “look after yourself first”? Today, thanks to
a lot of inner work and my supportive community, I choose the 2nd voice. Even if the
change is microscopic, it is one step towards a calmer, gentler life. We, at NUTS
wish that you simply get through and take care of yourselves at this strange spell.

I wanted to end this piece by sharing a few resources if you are
struggling during this time of year.

IF IN CRISIS
SAMARITANS
tel:+44-116-123
[email protected]

NHS- can call 111 and ask for mental health support
tel:+44-111
https://111.nhs.uk/

Extra help
Those bereaved by suicide
[email protected]
https://uksobs.org/

Those whose family are estranged:
https://www.standalone.org.uk/

SHOUT
https://www.giveusashout.org/
sms:85258

 The most wonderful time of the year?

Multi coloured lights are all around, glitter, tinsel, bright colours and seasonal treats are spilling out the doors. Sounds like the best times, however it’s not always that way for everyone.

Something that is well known to affect people around this time of year is Seasonal Depression, or as it’s more commonly known, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and while it can occur in any season, it is most common during the winter months. In the UK alone it is believed that between 0.5 - 2.4% of the population suffers from this, that’s anywhere from 268,000 to 1.6 million people, and that’s the ones that we know about.

While symptoms that you would find in general depression and other mental health diagnoses such as low mood, difficulties sleeping, changes in appetite, not wanting to be around people, loss of interest in things that normally bring you joy and possible suicidal ideations; chances are that if it consistently happens around the same time of the year then you could have SAD (though DRs may check for thyroid issues first).

So what are the causes of SAD? Well it could be a couple of things. Lack of sunlight can cause our body clocks to be out of rhythm which can lead to your normal sleep patterns to be disrupted leading to tiredness and depression. Another possible cause is light, specifically sunlight, sunlight is linked to helping raise levels of serotonin (the so called happy chemical), while darkness is attributed with helping the body to produce melatonin (which helps you get ready to sleep) during the winter months, especially in countries with less sunlight, these increased levels of melatonin and decreased levels of serotonin can affect the brain chemistry which results in higher rates of depressive moods. Finally it is thought that the weather itself, cold, wet, dreary, can affect SAD although there isn’t much research into this specific area.

Types of treatments for SAD via the NHS include talking therapies, medications for depression (most likely to be SSRIs or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors which blocks the nerve cells from absorbing serotonin allowing it to have a longer effect on the brain and body). Another type of treatment is light therapy, this can involve using a lamp or alarm clock that simulates the dawn light or boxes and devices that give off a strong light to help decrease the body’s production of melatonin. Access to light therapy through the NHS is limited as there isn’t much scientific evidence to show that light therapy works, so most people tend to buy their own equipment which can be expensive.


There could also be other reasons why people don’t get caught up in the Christmas spirit. For many, Christmas can be a time where they feel more isolated than ever, especially if they have strained or no relationships with their family or friends, with pictures and adverts of happy family gatherings and meals with everyone around the table are in abundance. Many people can also carry trauma from any deaths or impactful events that may have occurred around this time of the year. 

Another trauma inducing reason for people to shy away from this time of year is the sharp increase in domestic violence incidents and while the general number of incidents are reported with women and children as being the victims it is important to note that men can also be victims of domestic abuse. Police frequently note spikes in domestic violence calls on Christmas day, compared to the annual average. Reasons for the increase of domestic violence at this time include:

• Increased alcohol consumption
• Increased financial stress, particularly during times of recession or austerity measures
• Close proximity with more people being at home
• Lack of access to safe spaces with holidays and school closures, leaving fewer places for victims to escape

If you are struggling with any of the things mentioned above there are many resources you can access:

Mental Health Support:

GPs - especially if you suspect you may be suffering with SAD)

999 or A&E - if you or someone you know feels like they are in imminent danger of acting on suicidal ideation

111 (NHS helpline)

​Samaritans Tel - 116123

Local Mental Health services

Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/where-to-start/

Tough To Talk - https://www.toughtotalk.com/support-mens-mental-health?https://www.toughtotalk.com/support-mens-mental-health&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Donate%20To%20Charity%20-%20September%202025&utm_adgroup=Mental%20Health%20Charity%20Donations%20-%20EM&utm_keyword=donate%20to%20men%27s%20mental%20health&utm_device=c&utm_placement=&utm_matchtype=b&utm_campaignid=22979170249&utm_adgroupid=188492013074&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6Y7KBhCkARIsAOxhqtMoWJEAXgdHZZBSbLpccUVXzlCjrnYmDkL4desOa6ILyjmi6OUidTsaAjLvEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22979170249&gbraid=0AAAABBFarpfP3tTGCUXC88NcXfPUrBmif&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6Y7KBhCkARIsAOxhqtMoWJEAXgdHZZBSbLpccUVXzlCjrnYmDkL4desOa6ILyjmi6OUidTsaAjLvEALw_wcB

Shout - https://giveusashout.org/


Domestic Abuse Support:

Citizens Advice - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/gender-violence/domestic-violence-and-abuse-getting-help/

National Aid Helpline - https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/

Victim Support - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/crime-info/types-crime/domestic-abuse/

Refuge - https://refuge.org.uk/i-need-help-now/how-we-can-help-you/national-domestic-abuse-helpline/
Tel -08082000247

NSPCC - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/types-of-abuse/domestic-abuse/

Bernado’s - https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support/support-for-parents-and-carers/child-abuse-and-harm/children-affected-domestic-abuse-violence

Childline - https://www.childline.org.uk/
Tel - 08001111

Respect (Mens Advice Line) - https://mensadviceline.org.uk/

ManKind - https://mankind.org.uk/

​

If you've read our 'The Company' page you may have noticed that a few of us mentioned coming to 'Nuts' following Drama Therapy. If you're anything like me, I had no idea such a thing existed so when I was offered it as part of my recovery I wasn't too keen. How was acting supposed to help me with the carnage that was my life post-suicide attempt! 

But it was Gerald who explained to me that it might help me to express what I can't put into words. That I might be able to 'act out' what is in my head, that I could do and say things in a dramatic (and safe) environment that I would never consider doing in reality. That role play wasn't something to be avoided like the plague (think 'teambuilding' at work - absolute cringefest), that it could actually be a useful tool. 

The standard slogan for mental health is 'talk to someone' and I completely agree. However, when you've got to a point where you can't put things into words because you can't make sense of anything, you're numb and you're wading through treacle, sometimes to just 'move' can lead to places you never thought possible. If you can't put into words how angry, distressed, confused or even happy you are, you can find a posture or a facial expression instead. In its simplest form, that is drama therapy. But it's not always acting or role play. Some drama therapists use imagery, be it pictures, shapes, figures or props - they can all be used as a device for expression. 

I asked Gerald to describe Drama Therapy through his eyes and he explained it perfectly -

 "I think, for me as a Dramatherapist, the most rewarding aspect of the work is watching folks, 'muck about' as I call it.  As an arts based therapy one of our purposes is to enable an individual or group to engage in a  creative process in order explore very complex and traumatic experiences.  We trust the creative measures that we put in place to gently guide the person to the trauma, through:  metaphor, analogy, images, music, drama, script, small world objects, sand-play, pebbles, shells objects... in fact by any creative means we can introduce.  I call it 'mucking about', because there is less confrontation in that than if we say, 'we are going to focus upon the trauma'.  Watching people, who have had difficult and traumatic childhoods, play and laugh and realize gently that they are in fact exploring the trauma is part of the reward; it's an understanding that creativity is inherent in all of us, and it is a tool we can all use.  It may meander its way towards the  answers for the questions we have, but it always arrives at them."

For me, it has literally saved my life. Coming out of my first crisis, my first overdose, not knowing who I was or what was happening to me, it allowed me to explore decades of buried emotions that never would have reached the surface, that never would have been faced. And it builds a degree of acceptance as you get to know yourself again, or maybe even for the first time, as you gradually start to heal. I can now say with absolute certainty that I know myself more now than I ever have. And that is massive.

So, if you're going through your own struggles with mental health issues maybe consider Drama Therapy. And if, like me you've never heard of it, hopefully these few words have given you a little insight. If you're a student wondering which road to go down in your career in Mental Healthcare, maybe consider becoming a Drama Therapist. People like me need people like you! 

KS