'Tis the season (to look after mental health)

It's good to talk

Christmas is traditionally a time of celebration, eating, drinking, spending time with family and friends, and generally enjoying the festivities. However, for those who struggle with their mental health, this can be an especially difficult time.

Whether it is the financial strain that accompanies gift buying, the cold and dark winter nights, or the reality of spending Christmas alone, there can be a number of triggers for mental health problems. Thankfully, there are some things we can do to manage Christmas stress and the many mental health pressures that accompany it. It's time we started talking. A lot of us suffer in silence, with men often the most tight-lipped. Under great pressure to seem strong, they want to appear able to cope. In the UK, suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 45 and, although men account f...