It’s coming up to that time of year again. Everyone is getting excited about Christmas. People are out and about, full of festive cheer, buying presents, attending office parties and catching up with friends. You may have received some cards already and, possibly, some round ups of how great other people’s year has been. Or so it seems.
We can be so talented at creating illusions. The idea that all is well when it isn’t. It sometimes feels like being real is not valued. So, we sometimes slip on a mask and internalise all the niggles and worries and problems that keep us awake at night. We start to feel lonely and misunderstood. We can feel like running away from it all but we can’t do that either.
So we look for ways to cope. Another drink, another mince pie, another new toy, working even more hours. Anything to escape from our feelings. And then the coping strategy becomes the problem. And on and on. People criticise us and call us weak because it’s easier than seeing our pain.
Imagine if there was another way. Imagine being able to say ‘ I am finding things difficult and I need some support’. Imagine being able to say ‘no’ as a full sentence. Imagine being understood. Imagine not having to focus on how stressed you are feeling all the time so that you could enjoy spending time with the people you care about over the festive period. If you can’t find a way to achieve this, then talking to someone might be helpful to find a way forward. Your therapy space is waiting, if you need it.