The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for many with challenges ranging from family conflict to loneliness and isolation. Though challenging, the holidays can still be a time of celebration, community and comfort when we access the right resources and practices. To aid your safety planning for the holidays, we have included a collection of articles that will help:
- Crisis Prevention & Management for the Holidays (and year round), from 2017 workshop by Dr. Ellen Berman and Amanda Falivene-Rocco, LPC, CPRP: https://bit.ly/2Tuluaj
- NAMI’s Ask the Expert: Navigating the Winter and Holiday Blues (with video): https://www.nami.org/Blogs/
NAMI-s-Ask-the-Expert/2021/ NAMI-Ask-the-Expert- Navigating-the-Winter-Holiday- Blues - Avoiding Holiday Stressors, by Jessica Maharaj: https://www.nami.org/Blogs/
NAMI-Blog/December-2018/ Avoiding-Holiday-Stressors- Tips-for-a-Stress-Free-Season - How to Prioritize Self-Care During the Holidays: https://www.nami.org/Blogs/
NAMI-Blog/December-2021/How- to-Prioritize-Self-Care- During-the-Holidays - The “Happiest” Time of the Year: Tips for Managing Holiday Stress: https://www.nami.org/Blogs/
NAMI-Blog/December-2022/The- Happiest%E2%80%9D-Time-of-The- Year-Tips-for-Managing- Holiday-Stress - 7 Key Strategies to Help Your Teen Manage Holiday Stress: https://hudsonphysicians.com/
manage-holiday-stress/ - Looking for Support over the Holidays? Try these free support resources:
- Warmlines (see https://namimainlinepa.org/
services-in-sepa-2/intro-to- services/#-2.-Help-Lines-and- Warm-Lines-): Warmlines are staffed by people with lived experience, callers can receive support when they need it without traveling, being enrolled in a specific program, or attending a support group. - Mental health forum: MHA on Inspire (see https://screening.mhanational.
org/content/mental-health- america-inspire/): Inspire communities provide a place for people with similar interests to support and encourage each other 24/7 online. Inspire is the largest provider of health-specific communities. - Anxiety And Depression Association Of America (ADAA) Online Peer-To-Peer Anxiety And Depression Support Group (see https://healthunlocked.com/
anxiety-depression-support/ about): ADAA’s anonymous peer-to-peer online anxiety and depression support group is a friendly, safe and supportive place for individuals and their families to share information and experiences. - Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential text message support for individuals experiencing emotional distress or crises. It is available 24/7. Text “NAMI” to 741-741 for support.
- Call or text 988 or chat https://988lifeline.org/. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Warmlines (see https://namimainlinepa.org/
