What To Do When Support Services Close Over Christmas

Christmas break sounds lovely on paper - lights, food, sunshine - but if you rely on support services, the shutdown period can feel like someone’s pulled the rug out from under you. Cities basically take a collective nap, and suddenly the routines that keep you steady aren’t available.

So here’s a guide on how to get through the holiday gap without feeling lost, overwhelmed or abandoned.

6 tips to help you get through the holiday period without feeling lost, overwhelmed, or abandoned

1. Get Your Essentials Sorted Now

If you’ve got meds, scripts, equipment or regular appointments, sort them before services close. No one wants to be standing outside a locked clinic on 27 December thinking, “Ah. I’ve cooked it.”

Your checklist:

• Refill medication.

• Confirm appointment dates for January.

• Make sure you’ve got enough supplies for at least two weeks.

• Save important phone numbers in your phone (not on random scrap paper you’ll lose)

  
  

Future you will thank you.

2. Plan Your “Holiday Routine”

When support pauses, the structure that keeps your brain calm pauses too. That’s when things can start to wobble.So build yourself a simple holiday routine - nothing massive, just enough to give your days some shape.

Think:

• Wake-up time

• A daily walk or stretch

• One thing that makes you feel grounded

• Mealtimes

• A small wind-down ritual at night

  
  

It’s the consistency that helps, not perfection.

3. Know Who You Can Still Contact

Even when regular services close, you’re not on your own. There are people available - you just need to know who.

Keep these numbers ready:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

• 1800RESPECT (if things at home get unsafe): 1800 737 732

• Mental Health Triage SA: 13 14 65

• Victoria Mental Health Helpline: 1300 651 251

• Emergency: 000 (always)

If you're based in Adelaide and would like to speak with a trained mental health professional with lived experience, Lived Experience Telephone Support Services (LETSS) also offers free phone and web chat support from 5pm to 11:30pm, 365 days a year.

Save these numbers in your phone. Screenshot this list. Stick it on your fridge. Just make sure it’s somewhere you won’t forget.

4. Have a “Pressure Release” Plan (For Stressy Moments)

Holiday tension is real - family, money, noise, expectations… it piles up quick. Make a mini plan for moments where you feel yourself tipping over.

Try:

• A quick grounding exercise (5 senses works wonders)

• Stepping outside for fresh air

• Calling a friend or support person

• Listening to something calming

• Taking ten minutes away from the chaos

  
  

This isn’t about escaping - it’s about keeping your nervous system from going full meltdown mode.

5. Keep Your Social Circle Small but Solid

You don’t need to be everywhere. You don’t need to see everyone. You just need a couple of safe people you can lean on.

Send a quick message now: “Hey, if I’m having a rough day over Christmas, can I reach out?” Most people will say yes if they're not experiencing hardship or personal struggles themselves - and if they don’t, that’s your sign to pick different people.

6. Remember: This Break Isn’t Forever

The holiday shutdown feels long, but it’s temporary. Activ8 Mind will be back, ready to support you. Until then, you’ve got options, tools and people who care.

Take it slow. Stay safe. Believe in yourself - You’ve got everything you need to get through the Christmas gap.

Activ8 Mind's 2025 / 2026 Holiday Opening Hours

This holiday period, Activ8 Mind will be closed from 12pm Friday December 19th to Wednesday January 7th. To book a January appointment while our practices are closed, please:

• Use our online referral forms (if you're referring an NDIS participant, please use our online NDIS referral form).

• Call our booking line 1300 575 329 and request a callback. Please note that this phone is not actively monitored over the holiday period / out of usual business hours and Activ8 Mind does not offer after-hours support or emergency crisis support services. Phone messages will be checked intermittently (not on public holidays) and callback times will vary over the holiday closure period.