Review 4

Okay .. just want to mention some things I'm doing with Samaritans here.... I've really enjoyed being part of a campaign lately to increase awareness of the charity - York Samaritans, and I'm going to try and push this awareness even further in the future.

In the midst of the winter weather, I appeared on Radio York and Minster FM talking about how the weather isolates and depresses people. My Nan is a great example of this - she's 83 (i think lol) and couldn't even leave the house because of the ice. So many people are housebound like this in this crazy weather - whereas before, even a trip to the shop or surgery during the day could make a difference, often now days can go by without any company. And the fact that cold weather depresses people is fairly self-explanatory really.

There are articles on the BBC Web site - and soon York Press - and this morning, I appeared on Radio York again. I wasn't as happy with my contribution this morning... It was about the different ways christmas can affect people and I came across as a bit too vague and generic.

Out of interest, the main ways in which christmas and new year period affects people are:

Relationships - People forced together who you might not normally choose or want to spend a lot of time with - over-exposed, families etc.. More time for arguments, true feelings to come out..... Pressures to perform (e.g. cook christmas dinner)... Supposed to get along with each other.. alcohol flowing etc etc

Finances - The crazy spending of before christmas putting a strain on them

Isolation - Christmas is a time when people are pressured to be with loved ones. There are a lot of people with no-one, and so it is a time that they can feel a lot more isolated.

Depression - It's the time of year when we are told we are supposed to be happy, so any difference from that can be magnified. Christmas is often idealised - e.g. the perfect family christmas.

Thinking time - With more spare time, time off work, time alone etc, people often find themselves with a too much time to think.

End of year - The end of the year is traditionally a time when people reflect and take stock, and then look ahead to what they will do in the new year. It can be a time when people decide their future is bleak, or start to question their lives and meaning.