Look after your mental wellbeing this winter

Posted: 07/12/17

Christmas and New Year can be one of the most fun times of year but it can also be lonely and worrying for some.

Over the festive season most of us have enjoyed good food, good wine and good company, some of us may be feeling lonely, stressed or worried. Some of us may be over thinking things and therefore not getting enough sleep.

Help is at hand. At the beginning of January, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW) a provider of mental health services are launching their winter campaign and wants to spread the word to everyone that help and support is available.

In the North East, men are three times more likely to take their own lives than women. Between 2013 and 2015, 656 men lost their lives to suicide, so by providing city centre bars with drip mats and posters, the Trust is aiming to reach young men in Newcastle and Sunderland who might not otherwise be aware of where they can go for help.

Venues that are featuring the posters in their washrooms include Harry’s Bar, Union Rooms, Nine Bar and Flares in Newcastle. In Sunderland, they include William Jameson, The Engine Room, Yates and the Ship.

Loneliness can have a significant impact on your mental health and can contribute to depression, anxiety and even suicide.

We want people to know that they don’t have to feel like this. By having these publicity materials in city centre bars, we hope to make it easier for people who wouldn’t otherwise to seek out help and support should they need it

Karen O'RourkePatient Information Manager

NTW has a range of self-help guides that are available online in a range of formats, including British Sign Language. They are available at www.ntw.nhs.uk/selfhelp.