How Are You Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

🎉 You don’t have to stay for the whole thing – it’s OK to slip away early & leave before things get messy. You don’t need a reason and you don’t even need to say goodbye – just vanish into the night (no-one will care or remember).

🍾 Consider not having any alcohol, no matter how much you think it will settle your pre-party nerves. If you are feeling low or anxious or if you are taking an SSRI (or many other meds), alcohol is not your friend. If you must drink, alternate with soft drinks and have something substantial to eat before or during the event. Please note: a handful of peanuts isn’t substantial. If you are worried about your alcohol intake and want to make 2024 the year you cut-back or stop drinking completely, there are many sources of information and support available. Take a look at what is in your district here.

🍁 Get outside! The day of the party, go for a walk or step outside into the fresh air for ten minutes of deep, steady breathing. This will help get mood-boosting hormones flowing, helping you feel more ‘present’ and quell anxiety. If you’d like to find some lovely local outdoor spaces, check out How Are You Cambridgeshire & Peterborough (there’s also heaps of other wellbeing activities to have a go at in the New Year too).

🎄 If you really can’t face it, don’t go. Winter is challenging enough without having to grit your teeth to get through a social event that’ll make you miserable. If you were physically ill, you wouldn’t feel guilty about being a no-show, so why punish yourself if your mental health is going through a rough patch? Party pooping is not a crime & social gatherings aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. There are other ways to celebrate, show appreciation & mark the end of the year.

It’s Party Season