Remembering others - The worst time of year for many

While Christmas is frequently the happiest time of the year, especially for people with young children, it can also be a very difficult time for some people for many different reasons.

Paul Kelly the director of 1Life, Ireland’s dedicated suicide prevention and intervention helpline, warns that Christmas and the New Year holidays can often be the worst time of the year for many people.

The season should be a joyous occasion to share and celebrate with loved ones, but it is important that we should be mindful of the difficulties that may be faced by others. In his Christmas message, President Michael D Higgins warned that rising unemployment, emigration and family bereavements tended to cast a dark shadow at this time of year.

These are therefore troubling and testing times for many people, and Christmas is likely to be more testing than many previous years because so many people have lost their jobs. 1Life reported that it has been averaging 99 calls a days from people in suicide crisis.

The majority of its calls are from people between the ages of 31 and 45, and almost two-thirds of those calls were from women seeking suicide counselling. Mental health factors figured in almost two out of every five calls, and about 19% disclosed backgrounds of abuse and violence.

There may be additional stress on those who suffer due to the holiday closure of the traditional services, such as medical centres and counselling services. In such cases, 1Life provides invaluable therapeutic counselling and emotional support. In the event of emergencies crisis referrals and emergency interventions, 1Life runs a freephone service (1800 247 100). It also provides practical assistance and advice for the family members and friends of those who may seem suicidal or likely to harm themselves.

The 1946 film, It’s a Wonderful Life, is usually popular during the festive season. It is the story of a decent, loving businessman who fears that he is facing ruin and that his family would therefore be better off without him. He contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve, but he gets to see how life would have been without him.

For people who have lost their jobs, Christmas can be a particularly anxious time, especially if they have young children. Trying to meet the hopes and expectations of those children in the midst of the financial strain can be particularly stressful, especially if they are already feeling a sense of inadequacy and disappointment due to the loss of their jobs, even though it was through no fault of their own.

Others may now be alone because their children had to emigrate in search of a living. It will be a particularly lonely time for them, and for their children abroad.

In the circumstances, we should all be mindful of those pressures. The true spirit of Christmas should encourage us to keep a particularly watchful eye on neighbours who are likely to be lonely in such circumstances.