NHS HIGHLAND: Many people find Christmas to be a difficult time
Christmas preparations are well under way. The shops are getting much busier, decorations and Christmas trees have been in place for a long time now and for those of us who still send real Christmas cards rather than using email, we may find that some of the last posting dates have already passed.
We may have done a lot of preparation already or perhaps we have done next to nothing. We may be eagerly looking forward to Christmas or perhaps getting anxious.
Christmas and New Year are times of the year that are widely seen as opportunities for joy, celebration and families and it is great to enjoy the season. However, many people do find the time difficult and there are things that we can do to look after ourselves and others during the festive season.
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We can anticipate the joys of Christmas, but we can also anticipate the difficulties. Spending a lot of time with family is not always easy and it may help us if we recognise that things may be hard so that we avoid having unrealistic expectations of a perfect time.
Perhaps some people will want to be quieter for a time and have some space. For some of us Christmas is a particularly hard time without family and friends and without the usual daily activities too. It is important for us to recognise different needs and different reactions that people have at this time of year.
Some people will enjoy alcohol, while for others alcohol is a problem in their lives and that is something we need to respect when we offer drinks or buy presents. We should all try to be moderate in our consumption of alcohol and certainly keep away from driving after alcohol. Our safety and the law don’t relax at Christmas, even if we do.
Christmas can also be a challenge for our physical health if we indulge too much and when it comes to Christmas Day it would be remiss of me not to mention the importance of cooking the turkey properly! However, the festive season can also be a time when we get out for walks and look towards a healthy New Year resolution. So, we can think about improving our physical health as well as having an enjoyable time.
We still have plenty of time to prepare for whatever we may be planning to do at Christmas. So, let’s take some of that time to get ready for some of the challenges of the festive season and think about how we can look after ourselves as well as those around us, family, friends and neighbours. That will give us a really great Christmas.
Dr Tim Allison is NHS Highland’s director of public health and policy.
