Let’s Support Mental Health Services this Giving Tuesday
As we greet the mid-way point of November today, many of us steel ourselves for what the end of the month brings, starting with Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.
Sure, Thanksgiving is a favorite for many, as family and friends gather with grateful hearts. And, too, the shoppers amongst us get excited to start the hunt for special deals and seek out local shops for unique offerings. Yet, Thanksgiving and all the shopping days and other festivities of the next couple months can be really challenging, too. Loneliness, grief, anxiety, emotional and financial stress can become overwhelming, especially when everyone else seems to be so jolly gleeful.
As the hustle and bustle approaches, it’s especially important to take notice of how you – and those around you – are feeling. And there’s no better time to hone in than now. (well first, if you don’t mind, please read this next super exciting bit, then check out the tips below)
[Beginning November 15 and running through Tuesday, November 30, which is Giving Tuesday, we invite you to join us in talking about mental health, reading stories of Bell mental health service users, staff, and programs, speaking up as allies and advocates, and coming together to raise vital funds to support Bell’s MH services.
Please DONATE TODAY through our special Let’s Support Mental Health Services campaign page, where you can also start your own fundraising page to raise funds for Bell’s mental health programs. Use your page to speak up for mental health and ask your friends and family to join you. Start now to help us reach our campaign goal of $11,021.]
okay, here are the promised tips:
Emily Bulthuis, MSW, LICSW, on the healthpartners.com blog, says, “There are many ways to help your mental well-being during the holidays. Some of these strategies may work better for you than others. But be sure to try a few to find what works best for your needs.
- Make sure your expectations are realistic. Ask yourself if you’re expecting too much from yourself or others. Then, see how those expectations are making you feel. Are they helpful or hurtful?
- Practice saying ‘no’. You’re one person, and there’s only so much you can do in a given day or a given holiday.
- Limit external sources of holiday pressure. Maybe take a break from social media if seeing other people’s holiday photos is causing you to engage in self-comparison. Find winter activities to engage in that aren’t associated with the holidays – like snowshoeing, for example.
- Don’t slack on self-care! If going to yoga helps you cope with stress, keep doing that. If spending time with friends helps, prioritize spending that time regardless of the season. Prioritize taking time for yourself. Be open to experimenting with new self-care strategies.
- Work with a mental health professional. Talk therapy can help you cope with holiday-related stress. And if you’re dealing with MDD with a seasonal pattern, they may also recommend light box therapy or medication to help alleviate some of the symptoms.”
Take care…and thanks for your support!
Once again, here’s the link for the special campaign page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/BellsMentalHealthCampaign