To have to do an ‘Emma Thompson’ this Christmas?

Everyone's struggles are valid x

We lost our baby at 16 weeks at the start of the month and had her funeral a week ago. This was supposed to be the Christmas we told everyone about the baby, but most people don’t know so I’ll have to Emma Thompson it.

So many moving stories here, wish I could give you all a big hug, and an extra one to anyone going through baby loss. You are very much not alone x

This thread has given me the slap I needed. Felt my depression creeping again, started moping (not minimising it, it can be hard) but you know what I'm lucky and I need to truly count my blessings. I'm really sorry that some of you are having a hard time at Christmas and I wish you all a better 2026.

Love to everyone Emma Thompsoning it this year 💐

And bravo, OP, for coining such a phrase. Love it x

Love to everyone on here who are really feeling it this Xmas and yet putting on a brave face. Such amazing women X

I think this poster has missed the ENTIRE point of the discussion here 🙈

Have you missed the point of the conversation..?

I'm Emma Thompsoning an Xmas just me and my DD, due to the alcoholic antics of a family member meaning I can't see my plans through.

I've cried, but now in the 'wiping tears away and pulling myself together' stage, to make it lovely still for DD, and to remind myself that I have her, which is all I really need for Xmas.

Our lease is up in February and we have nowhere to go. I really don’t know what will become of us.

It was Karen.... 😞😞

Pain from cancer is increasing ☹️
I feel so incredibly alone in this shit crap rubbish evil unfair bastard “ journey”. I wish it was happening to someone else! This is my 4th fucking cancer. No one cares. No one is bothered. People are selfish fuckers and don’t want to hear for utterly shit it is to go through chemo when it hasn’t worked. All the fucking ads “ together we will beat cancer” make me sick! I want to cry.

Please accept you are human and we all mess up sometimes .(big and small )
I hope that rather than be disappointed people will be supportive x
take care

Cancer over here too, just 2 chemos to go so wishing away the days until the end of Jan! Wishing you a healthy 2026 x

You haven't harmed anyone. It might cost the job, I don't know, but your whole life? Surely as a mistake that hasn't harmed anyone, it's not unforgivable.

Hear, hear.

Batshit crazy sister in law up to her usual nasty tricks again, and brother and parents are nodding and agreeing with her,sigh (we've had texts etc saying x says she thinks this and that about our families shes not see any of us in 5 years!). Both DSis & my families are gritting our teeth, fixing the smile on to get through tomorrow. Second world problem considering the others on here, definitely going to be away next year.
Hugs and have a Happy Christmas, however you get through it.

I came on here full of my own misery and self-pity, putting my best ET face on for everyone else while feeling resentful, wounded, hurt. But I've read so many posts from people who have much bigger challenges than I have. I given myself a bit of a slap and and a reminder to myself to be thankful for the things that are good.

Sending heartfelt thoughts to so many of you whole are going through really difficult times 💔

You are much more to your kids than just a job or a business . No parent never puts a foot wrong , we are all just human . So cut yourself some slack 😉 your children may understand better than you think ,you know.
Every family has their problems behind closed doors at some point , don’t think it’s just you , everyone does .

I once in a dark place ( but not suicidal either) phoned the Samaritans , it was good to get it off my chest anonymously to someone who didn’t know me and Id never meet again.Would that help a bit ?

It will pass !! honestly ,take it from this old woman ,everything does, Xxx

@CMMMwe had a similarly shite experience with CAMHS when my daughter was actively suicidal. After one particularly horrific appointment I swore I would never make her go back there; we did everything privately from then on, borrowing money to do so.

They put her on Prozac quite quickly and it was like getting the old her back within two days. A miracle.

She went for one CBT session as they made her do it was frontline treatment but she was in too much of a crisis to engage, so I went on and on until they gave her Prozac. I just felt in my gut that’s all it would take.

I am sorry. I know how hard it is. I will be forever different. In fact I’m sitting here very tearful today and this was 2 years ago. The fear and worry will never leave me as far as I can tell.

I'm so sorry so many of you are enduring such awful circumstances. 💐💐💐

It's admirable to put a brave face on things, but there is no shame in being visibly upset at times. Real emotions are better than fake ones, even if they are harder to deal with.

Please remember to take good care of yourselves as well as others. 💗

Thank you it’s very kind of you to comment. I know from having come across other families in similar situations that we all feel like we are failing our kids when in actual fact the system is failing them.
Despite urgent referral to CAMHS from both school and GP, they didn’t even see him for 7 weeks. CAMHs keep saying ring 111, this means a mental health person rings you back within 4 hours. How does that help me in the moment?

During all these weeks I have begged CAMHS for CBT to start. We eventually borrowed money and managed to get him to start with someone privately. Now CAMHs have said they can’t expedite his CBT from a year wait because we’ve gone privately, but we can’t risk stopping it because they can’t tell us when he’d start with them and we can’t leave him with no treatment because his self harming escalates. They even went as far as saying if they gave him CBT another child wouldnt receive help. Like why is my son less deserving because for help because we have borrowed money.

I digress, I could write a book on the failings. 😭

I'm so sorry. Does he had any ND ? Camhs are not great. After Christmas, can you go to GP and ask for a referral to for ASD assessment? Or is that what Camhs are supposed to be doing?

Please reach out to social services and tell them you're in crisis. You need respite or you won't be able to carry on.

I'm so sorry xx