This is a guest article from Janet; I saw her post on Facebook and it struck a chord, so I asked if we could republish it.

———————————————————————————

Christmas is, for some people, the worst time of the year and just makes some people terribly unhappy. Unsurprisingly, suicide rates increase at Xmas.

I do not see the issue with stating this fact on Facebook or publicly. Why should I get told off, like a child who has sworn, for saying it?

Some people seem to think it’s outragious to be anything other than cheery at Xmas. They wonder how we dare talk of sadness, of loss, of grief, of hardship.

“How dare you not look forward to Christmas! How dare you spend it alone, rather than in a happy relationship, surrounded by wonderful family and expensive gifts!”

It’s this sort of ignorant attitude and annual pressure that drives suicidal feelings in people who will just not have that ‘merry’ experience.

1 in 15 in the UK people will spend Christmas alone.

Some people suffer from depression and other mental health issues which do not just go away when it’s Christmas, and are in fact exacerbated by the financial and empotional stressors.

For some it will be their first Christmas without a loved one.

Some simply can’t afford to buy their children presents.

If none of these apply to you, then you are very lucky.

Next time someone says they are dreading / hate Christmas, just think it could be for one of the above reasons before you give them ‘that look’ or roll your eyes. Nobody is a Grinch for being unhappy at Christmas.

Janet