Christmas and the new Millennium will mean the biggest celebrations of most people's lives - but for some it will be a time of despair.

Samaritans are on hand to take your calls

The Samaritans in York are prepared for an increase in calls from people in distress and struggling to cope. To counter this volunteers at the centre in Nunnery Lane are running a special campaign to help people through their personal problems.

Levels of stress increase every New Year's Eve and calls to The Samaritans can rise by eight per cent - and this forthcoming special one could see this figure increase further.

A Millennium Survival Guide has been devised to help people get through the holidays intact.

York Samaritan Jane, whose surname cannot be revealed for professional reasons, said: "We are aware that this Millennium will be an emotional time - many people will be spending the holidays and new year alone or in unfamiliar groups where feelings of isolation can become unbearable.

"For some the Millennium can increase the potential for suicidal feelings, as it is a time when people could be reviewing their lives.

"Male suicides are highest in January as this can be a difficult time of adjustment back to reality.

"But York Samaritans will go on listening as long as there are people in crisis and despair. Our volunteers will be offering confidential emotional support 24-hours a day as we have done for the past 30 years."

At premises on Nunnery Lane 140 trained volunteers take it in turns to help people through trying times.

Their work can be summed up by the words of a former Archbishop of York, Dr Donald Coggan, who opened York Samaritans' first cramped office on Bootham 30 years ago.

He said: "The strains of living today are considerable, and personality problems and tensions arise and increase, but through it all human beings in a fellowship will be there for human beings in a muddle, standing with them in their distress, lending them strength and great things will be done."

Jane added: "If you want to talk about anything that's bothering you get in touch with The Samaritans.

"We won't tell you what to do and we won't tell anyone you called. But we will listen. So call us whenever you want to talk and we'll listen for as long as you need. We're here 24-hours a day."

* Contact York Samaritans on 01904 655888, or nationally on 0345 909090.

Samaritans' Millennium Survival Guide

Don't give yourself a hard time: People expect to be happy over the New Year holiday - then when everything isn't completely wonderful, they get desperate. Don't blame yourself for not feeling great at the moment - you're not alone.

Spot the signs of trouble: If you feel down, you probably are down. If the future seems bleak and you've lost interest in everything, you need to sort it. Watch out for troubled sleep and eating and drinking too much to let off steam, or being anxious or angry. They're all signs something's wrong.

Look after yourself: If your body's fit, your mind is more able to cope. So eat sensibly, get enough sleep and don't rely on alcohol or drugs to get you through. Take exercise to raise your mood. Take time out for you and give yourself the occasional treat - you deserve it.

Take your moods seriously: Emotionals aren't just self-indulgence - they're the body's signal that something's wrong. If you feel moody don't give yourself a hard time and ignore anyone who tries to tell you you're soft. Take it seriously and take action.

Clear your head: Negative thoughts can drag you down faster than anything - because you start believing that things are far worse than they are. So if you catch yourself creating downers in your head, turn the moody thought into a positive one.

Make contact: If you feel unhappy, it's tempting to pull back from other people and try to sort it out alone. This is wrong and isolation deepens bad moods and makes it more likely you'll get depressed. So call your family, hang out with friends and keep in touch.

It's good to talk: Talking your problems through with someone else will help, so don't let your pride stop you getting it sorted. Find someone you trust, who'll keep what you've told them confidential, then tell them all about it. You'll feel supported and they'll feel they've helped.

Get it off your chest: Unexpressed emotions stop you coping with everyday life. Once you talk about them you'll find you've got more energy. If you're thinking clearly you're more able to get things sorted. So don't get scared and bottle up your feelings.

Look beyond the Millennium: High hopes for the Millennium can lead to a sense of anti-climax once it's here. But remember that this year's only just beginning and could still hold all sorts of good things. Look ahead. If you're at rock bottom the only way is up.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.