Following the news of the closure of Port Talbot blast furnaces and the loss of more than 3000 jobs, Samaritans Cymru are reaching out to anyone affected and offering their service.
The possibility of losing your job or facing financial problems can cause extreme stress and can leave you feeling low and struggling to cope.
“The threat of job loss can have a significant impact on your state of mind. We know that many individuals bottle up their problems and try to be strong for their family. We want to help people deal with any distress early on which avoids it potentially building up and getting worse. You can get in touch with Samaritans about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue. We're here to listen.”
A volunteer for Samaritans Cymru
Samaritans Cymru want anyone affected to know that finding life difficult at times of stress does not make you weak or a failure. When you’re struggling to make ends meet and facing a lot of stress, experiencing emotional distress is a normal and valid response.
What matters is how you look after yourself when life is presenting you with these unfair challenges and that talking about how you feel and reaching out for help is really important. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength.
Talking to someone might seem impossible right now and perhaps you don’t have anyone that could support you, but you are never alone. Samaritans volunteers across Wales are there to listen round the clock, in English or Welsh, whatever the problem.
“We're very concerned about the impact of job losses on the communities in Wales and we intend to discuss the matter with local authorities and Welsh Government in order to make sure we’re acting preventatively and offering as much support as possible. We know that many people will feel stranded and may be struggling to cope right now. You don’t have to face this alone - our volunteers are always here to support you. Reaching out to someone, whoever that may be, is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
Neil Ingham, Executive Director for Wales
In Wales, Samaritans Cymru have a free resource for anyone struggling to cope. This is for anyone, whether you’re feeling lonely & stressed, through to feeling suicidal and making plans to end your life. The resource includes information on how to improve your own wellbeing, making self-harm and suicide safety plans and contact information for different organisations that can help with lots of issues.