Claire's blog: Christmas Time

I have personally found Christmas to be quite difficult for around the last eight or nine years but somehow even this does not dampen my pre-Christmas enthusiasm! Every year I hope that voices will not intrude on my family Christmas and that my mood will remain good. But this year WILL be different! No, I am sure that it will. I have been through a lot this year including some very negative 'stuff' just recently but I am lucky in the respect that I still have hope.

Hope is such an important thing. Without hope there is only despair. Without hope there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Without hope there is pretty much nothing. However, I am aware that for some people, hope seems like an alien concept as they are in that pit of despair. I too have visited that place and it is very dark indeed. I see hope as a candle. Most of the time I carry my candle before me knowing that hope is there and that things are getting steadily better. Sometimes though, I cannot carry the candle as I lose my belief in hope. When this happens, I have to rely on family and friends to carry the candle for me. I also carry the candles of hope for people with whom I work when they are feeling that hope is lost. That is what mental health support workers should do.

What I am trying to convey is this- when darkness surrounds you-remember that no matter how small that candle's flame, you can still see it and it still lights up the darkness.So whoever is carrying your candle-whether it be yourself or a supporter, remember that flame and what it signifies.Let's all hope that next year mental health remains on the public agenda and that all the hard work of those who fight the stigma, prejudice and discrimination experienced by those of us with mental health problems continues to achieve results. Let's also hope that New Horizons lives up to our expectations and delivers what is promised.

Have a very merry Christmas and I would like to say a big 'thank you' to all those who have supported me and carried my candle during darker times......You know who you are!