Publish date: 20 January 2025
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) is reminding people the importance of looking after their mental health especially in January.
January is often described as a difficult time for many as it sees the return to work and routine and the prospect of making difficult decisions regarding finances, family or careers, which might have been delayed at the end of the previous year.
NHS Digital reported that in January 2024 mental health services received 444,131 new referrals, so if you are feeling a decline in your mental health this month, you are not alone and it is important to reach out for help.
Georgia Fifer, Deputy Team Lead from LSCft’s Talking Therapies explains:
“Many people refer to this time of year as the ‘January blues’, but this isn’t a term we like to use as it can trivialise real feelings. We are all aware of the darker mornings and the bad weather but for some people it goes further than having a few days of feeling deflated or down and it can trigger or worsen feelings of anxiety and depression.
“If this sounds like you or you are worried about somebody you care about, please know we are here.”
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Talking Therapies is a psychological therapy service offering a range of free talking therapies. The service can be assessed in person, online or telephone and specialises in psychological interventions to support people’s differing emotional needs including generalised anxiety, panic and depression.
Georgia continues:
“A new year often emphasises the urge to start a new hobby, make resolutions or completely overhaul yourself, but it is important to remember it is okay to take things at a slower pace and prioritise you time without pressure. Plan your time to do something you enjoy, but ensure the activity is something you really enjoy and not something you feel like you should do. This will help improve your relationship with yourself, we are often guilty of forgetting, you are worth your time.”
Talking Therapies is made up of psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWP), cognitive behavioural therapists (CBT), counsellors, team leaders and administrative staff and offers support to people experiencing feelings of depression or anxiety. A practitioner will always discuss the best options available during an initial telephone assessment. Access to Talking Therapies can be made via a GP or self-referral online.
Georgia adds:
“Be aware of how much time you spend on a screen. People often only share positive or impressive snippets of their life on social media, this can lead to a biased interpretation of other people’s life and experiences and create a compare and despair thinking style. Instead of doom scrolling try and use your time more productively, whether that is going for a walk outside to increase your daily step count and vitamin D exposure, batch cooking some healthy meals full of vegetables and protein or catching up with friends.
“Looking at bright screens before bed is particularly not advised, the bright light emits signals to our brains that it’s still daytime, so it becomes harder to fall asleep and get good quality sleep. If you can’t go without before bed, turn the brightness down on your screen as low as it can go.
“January is challenging and if you are struggling to cope, even with trying the advice above, please contact us at Talking Therapies, our referral form and further contact details can be found on our website”
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or something that makes you feel severely unsafe, distressed, or worried about your mental health, you can call 111 and select option 2.
Urgent mental health support is available across Lancashire and South Cumbria through the Initial Response Service (IRS) on 0800 953 0110 which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
