Article published on: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Whether or not Christmas is part of your life, it’s a time of year that often puts extra pressure on us and can affect our mental health in lots of different ways.
Christmas could affect your mental health if you:
- Wish you didn’t have to deal with Christmas or find it stressful because of other events in your life.
- Feel alone or left out because everyone else seems happy when you’re not.
- Feel frustrated by other people’s views of a ‘perfect’ Christmas, if these feel different to your experiences.
- Have ideas about what Christmas should be like but fail to reach those, feel as if you need to enjoy it or worry something will disrupt it.
- Feel like Christmas gives you something to focus on and look forward to, and find it difficult when it’s over.
- Look back at difficult memories, regret things about the past, or worry about the coming New Year.
- Feel overlooked, for example if you celebrate other religious festivals or holidays that get less attention.
- Want to celebrate with someone who’s struggling.
If you live with mental health problems, there may be other reasons that you find Christmas tough. For example:
- Your mental ill-health might make it difficult for you to spend Christmas how you want.
- Some experiences during Christmas could make your mental health worse or harder to manage. For example, if it triggers hypomania or mania.
- You might not be able to access services that you normally turn to for help, if they’re closed during the Christmas period.
- Your usual routines may be disrupted, which might make it harder to manage your mental health.
If Christmas is a hard time for you, it’s important to remember that you are not alone.
Below are some suggestions from Bucks Mind colleagues and national Mind that could help you cope during the Christmas period.
Coping with money worries
It can be tough to cope with the financial pressures of Christmas. This can be especially difficult if you’re already struggling with money. And for many of us, rises in the cost of living will have made things even harder.
How you cope with the costs of Christmas will depend on your circumstances. You might not find all of these tips realistic. But it may help to try some of them:
- Access financial support. Bucks Mind offers a service, Closing the Gap, for people in Bucks experiencing financial struggles and mental ill-health. You could use the Turn2Us benefits calculator to work out what support you’re entitled to. Citizens Advice has information on how to get help if you’re struggling to pay your bills. Or you can contact the local branches, Citizens Advice Bucks or Citizens Advice East Berkshire. You could call Trussell Trust’s free helpline for advice on accessing financial support.
- Make lists, plans or a budget. Noting things down can make them feel more manageable or help you think more clearly. Creating a budget could also help you feel more in control of what you can spend. See national Mind’s page on organising your finances for more tips. You could also use Money Helper’s free online budget planner.
- Be open with others. It can be hard to talk about money, but being honest with others can help. You may be able to agree ways to make Christmas plans free or low cost. Or they might be able to offer other kinds of support. Step Change’s festive support has information on talking to other people about money worries.
- Look for local offers or events. Local organisations, such as charities and community centres, may have free or low-cost events for Christmas. Or they may be able to offer support with things like gifts or food. Click the button below for a list of community support in Bucks and East Berkshire.
- Look for free or low-cost items online. You may be able to find free items to use as gifts or decorations online, for example through websites like Freecycle.
- Try to avoid comparisons with the Christmas you see in adverts and social media. These often don’t reflect reality and can make us feel bad about ourselves. It may help to take breaks from social media.
- Be kind to yourself. Money worries can have a big impact on our mental health. They might make us feel concerned, embarrassed or angry. And they can affect self-esteem. Try not to blame yourself for your situation or how you’re feeling about it.
Looking after yourself
- Be gentle and patient with yourself. It might help to think about what’s best for your wellbeing during Christmas and prioritise what you need.
- Remind yourself that it won’t last forever. You could set a ‘start’ and ‘finish’ time for what you count as Christmas.
- Set your boundaries. Try to say ‘no’ to things that aren’t helpful for you.
- Let yourself experience your own feelings. Even if they don’t match what’s going on around you, they’re still valid. For example, if you don’t feel like celebrating Christmas when everyone else does.
- Take time out. Do something to forget that it’s Christmas or distract yourself. For example, you could watch a film or read a book that’s set in the summer. Or you could try learning a new skill.
- Let yourself have the things you need. For example, if you need to take a break instead of doing an activity, or need a little bit of quiet time.
Getting support
If you’re struggling this Christmas, you may want to find support for your mental health. There are a few ways that you can do this:
- Bucks Safe Haven (out-of-hours mental health support for anyone aged 18+) is open 7 nights a week, 6.00pm-12.00 midnight(closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day only). Aylesbury: 01296 453017. HighWycombe call: 01494 218098
- East Berkshire Safe Haven (out-of-hours mental health support for anyone aged 18+) is open Thursday to Sunday, 5pm-11pm (including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). Call: 07790 772863
- Call Samaritans on 116 123 (freephone). Their English language line is always open.
- Text SHOUT to 85258. This is a free 24/7 crisis text service run by Shout.
For more information and advice about Christmas and mental health, including supporting someone else, please click below.
Look out for Part Two of this article next week!