The holidays are a time of joy and happiness, but for some people with mental illness, it can be a difficult time of year.
Shadoe Davis is the host of the "Shadoe Davis Mental Wellness Show", and he says that many things can make the holidays a rough time for someone.
Some things he pointed out were the stress of buying someone the perfect gift, trying to make sure everyone gets together, and the traffic of the malls, roadways, and parking lots.
On top of all that, he said that, on his show, one topic was brought up more than anything else- the loss of a loved one through the year.
“Over the year, people may have lost a close relative, a friend, someone they spent the holidays with, someone that was integral in their life, and that seat’s going to be empty at the table this Christmas,” said Davis.
“Many people have a very difficult time coping with that because of what that person meant, not just to them, but the entire family. That would be true of people who don’t have a mental health challenge, but for those that do, it makes it very difficult to deal with.”
Davis says that the best way to help someone deal with the stresses of the season, especially someone with a mental illness challenge, is to just sit with them and calm them, and tell them that everything is going to be okay.
He added that even if you manage to calm someone down in a particular situation, it doesn’t mean that they’ve overcome the thing they are struggling with.
“It can get dark as well, it can definitely get dark,” said Davis. “We may have seen statistics for this time of year, where the suicide rate goes up, that’s not true.”
He went on to say that the suicide rate stays the same for the holiday season, but it does go up in January, once the festivities are over.
“I would say for people who don’t deal with a mental health issue, after the holidays, and during the holidays, but after the holidays especially, reach out to somebody that you think might be going through this,” said Davis. “Because that phone call, that text, that Facebook message could be the difference between tragedy, and ongoing life and hope.”
If you are someone who deals with a mental illness issue, Davis says the best thing you can do is reach out and talk about it with someone you feel comfortable with.
That being said, if you or someone you know, is in crisis, you need to reach out to a doctor, emergency services, or the suicide hotline.
People wanting to listen to Davis’ podcast “The Shadoe Davis Mental Wellness Show” can do so wherever they listen to their favourite podcasts. Davis also has a Facebook group, where people can go for advice and support from others who struggle with a mental illness issue, not doctors or psychiatrists. The group is called “Shadoe’s Mental Wellness Support Group.”
Be sure to tune in to CKDM this afternoon at 12:40, to hear more from Shadoe Davis.
