Christmas can often be a stressful time, but headspace Dubbo is encouraging young people to find ways to look after their mental health during the festive season.
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Financial issues, family conflict and loneliness can all increase stress for people with anxiety or depression.
Headspace Dubbo community engagement officer and program support Taylor Ryan said there were many strategies people could adopt to help them look after their mental health.
"Be kind to yourself and ensuring you allow time to do the things you enjoy is really important. Manage your expectations about Christmas day, spend time with people who are supportive, and know that it's okay to say no to things," Mr Ryan said.
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"Christmas doesn't have to include a huge to-do list or be crammed with activities out of obligation or tradition."
Financial stress at this time of year is also common, says headspace.
One way to manage is to not spend money if you aren't able to comfortably do so - it will only bring stress in to the new year. Instead, you could give meaningful gifts such as homemade baked treats, a babysitting voucher or offering to help with the dishes after Christmas lunch.
Mr Ryan said maintaining a healthy diet was also beneficial to a healthy headspace.
"On top of these strategies, it's also helpful to eat a healthy diet, cut back on alcohol and other drugs, stay active and get enough sleep," he said.
Interrelate has also acknowledged Christmas can be a difficult time.
The organisation has released its Guide To Surviving Christmas. It's full of tips for navigating grief, conflict and relationships during the festive period.
"My advice to families would be to focus on the positives. Everything may not go to plan, and the topic of COVID-19 is likely to come up in conversations. Focusing on what we have, and what we can control in this situation will go a long way in creating a fun and positive atmosphere," Interrelation regional manager, central and far west Ian Thwaites said.
Interrelate's five tips for looking after yourself:
- Plan something special to treat yourself or contact a friend and set a date, time and place to catch up outside of the Christmas rush.
- If you are feeling lonely, volunteer to help serve Christmas Day lunch with a charitable organisation.
- Attend community celebrations such as your local Carols by Candlelight.
- Make a list of things you are thankful for and all of the positive things in your life.
- Keep things simple and prepare in advance - slow and steady wins the race.
The Guide to Surviving Christmas can be found on the Interrelate website.
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