You Don't Have to Carry This Alone
The weight you carry isn't yours to bear in silence,
Though the world has taught you strength means quiet defiance.
You've learned to smile when storms are raging deep inside,
To say "I'm fine" when really, you just need to confide.
Depression doesn't check your calendar or care,
Anxiety won't wait its turn or fight you fair.
And when December comes with all its festive light,
The pressure to be merry can make the darkness bite.
The parties and the gatherings, the joy you're meant to feel,
Can make the pain you're carrying seem even more surreal.
When everyone's rejoicing and you're barely holding on,
Remember: what you're feeling isn't wrong, it isn't gone.
Your thoughts are real, your feelings justified and true,
The battles that you're fighting—they don't make less of you.
You're not "too sensitive," you're not "less of a man,"
You're human, and you're hurting, doing the best you can.
So reach out when it's heavy, when the weight becomes too much,
CALM is there to listen—0800 58 58 58—a gentle touch.
Samaritans are waiting, any hour, day or night,
Call 116 123, they'll help you find the light.
Andy's Man Club meets each Monday, a place where men can share,
Where talking isn't weakness, where brothers show they care.
Mind and Papyrus stand ready with resources and support,
A lifeline when you need it, a safe and welcoming port.
You don't have to explain it, you don't have to justify,
The sadness or the panic or the tears you've had to cry.
Your struggles don't diminish all the strength that you possess,
And asking for some help is not a sign of less
It's courage. It's survival. It's the bravest thing to do,
To say "I'm not okay" when all eyes are fixed on you.
So this Christmas, if you're drowning while the carols fill the air,
Please know that you're not broken, and alone, you don't face this despair
You never have to. There are hands stretched out to hold,
There are voices in the darkness, there are hearts to make you whole.
And if you bleed blue and white, if Portman Road's your home,
You're part of something bigger—you don't walk this road alone.
From Ipswich Town to twtd.co.uk, there's a family there,
Who understand that football's more than just the wins we share.
Win, lose, or draw, we stand together through the fight,
The Tractor Boys community will help you find the light.
You never are alone. There are hands stretched out to hold,
There are voices in the darkness, there are hearts to make you whole.
Your life has value, purpose, worth beyond what words can say,
And somewhere, someone's waiting to help you find your way.
So talk. Just talk. It matters. Let the silence finally break,
Your mental health is precious—for your own and others' sake.
You're not a burden, not a problem, not too much to bear,
You're someone worth protecting, someone worthy of the care.
---
If you're struggling, please reach out:
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight daily) | thecalmzone.net
- Samaritans: 116 123 (24/7) | samaritans.org
- Andy's Man Club: andysmanclub.co.uk (Monday evenings nationwide)
- Mind: 0300 123 3393 | mind.org.uk
- Papyrus (for under 35s): 0800 068 4141 | papyrus-uk.org
- Shout Crisis Text Line: Text "SHOUT" to 85258 (24/7)
- ManUp! - manup.how
www.zenmen.co.uk
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