Kishner Mental Health by Samantha R. Kishner, MA, LMHC-LP
Feeling sad or down during the winter months is not uncommon. In fact, it’s so common that they even made a diagnosis for it called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). What a fitting acronym! Now, if this pattern is familiar for you, hope is not lost just because it’s darker out now. There are many ways to prepare yourself to better cope with and reduce these symptoms from taking over. Although these tips are not a sure fire way to avoid feeling depressed, they can help you reduce the intensity of depression symptoms or reduce the likelihood that all depression symptoms come on in the first place.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression linked to seasonal changes, typically occurring at the same time each year. For most individuals with SAD, symptoms begin in the fall and persist through the winter, leading to low energy and moodiness. These symptoms usually improve during the spring and summer.
Symptoms of SAD may include:
Persistent feelings of sadness or a low mood nearly every day
Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
Low energy and persistent fatigue
Oversleeping or difficulty staying awake
Cravings for carbohydrates, overeating, and weight gain
Trouble concentrating or focusing
Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt
Thoughts of self-harm or not wanting to live.
Steps You Can Take to Prepare and Prevent SAD
Build Your Support System. Once the depression cycle has taken over it can be incredibly difficult to reach out to our support systems and make plans to be around the people we love. As we enter SAD season, it is important to get ready to utilize your support system in a way that works for you. Maybe this means scheduling phone calls with your friends on a weekly basis to check in, giving your loved ones a heads up that you may need extra support, or prepping yourself to text at least one person a day as to prevent isolation. The reality is that although we tend to isolate during episodes of depression, research indicates that having fulfilling relationships with romantic partners, family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or others contributes to greater happiness, better health, and a longer life, while loneliness and social isolation are associated with poorer health, higher rates of depression, and a greater risk of premature death.
Increase Positive Emotions. Obviously this does not mean magically adding more positive emotions to our depressed state of mind. If you could do that, you likely would not be reading this article. However, we can add activities and plans that are likely to cause us to feel more positive emotions. One sure way to create positive emotions is to have plans to look forward to that bring you joy. Think of how excited you get in the week before going on a big trip. We want to try and create that excitement throughout your SAD season by having smaller activities that bring you joy occurring on a regular basis. One way to do this is to get your calendar out
now and make those plans with people you haven’t seen in a while, check the movie schedule at the theatre, start that art class you’ve been putting off, or work to engage in that new hobby. It can feel overwhelming or expensive to find these activities so here are a few recommendations:
Groupon offers so many experiences for lower prices that you and your friends can try together.
Fever is an app that has all the cool local and unique experiences in your city. Try that new pop up museum or go on a tour of all the haunted places near you.
Your local community center likely has affordable classes and programs that you can attend on a weekly basis.
Local craft stores typically have classes and sometimes even groups that you can attend.
Libraries and bookstores often have book clubs, story times, classes, and volunteer opportunities that you can engage in for free or affordably.
Facebook groups for everything and anything you can think of. Do you have a dog and want to meet other dog parents? Do you want to join a book club or a walking group? Do it for free with likeminded people.
Volunteer work can be done in so many forms and is a great way to feel like you are positively contributing to the world as well as a cool way to make friends.
Get In That Sunlight. Sunlight really does help with our emotions. Making the effort to get outside when it is bright or turning your at home desk to face the sunny window can help reduce the impact of dreary winter months. Some people even use light therapy boxes that mimic sunlight. These can help cause a chemical change in your brain that positively impacts your mood and helps reduce other symptoms of SAD. It can also help with the sleep disruptions that are often associated with depressive episodes.
Plan To Keep Yourself Entertained Inside. Many of us are exposed to temperatures in the winter that are so low that it makes being outside unpleasant. Planning to keep yourself occupied for longer periods of time can help prevent the negative emotions and dread from taking over. Whether it’s a new video game, puzzle, craft, or plant, planning to have indoor hobbies can reduce the restlessness and hopelessness that can overtake when bored in your home all day. It is also much easier to prevent boredom than it is to cope once you are already bored, so plan ahead.
Medication And Therapy. It is possible that your SAD symptoms have a genetic or chemical component. It can be helpful to check in with your psychiatrist and therapist to see if this might be the case. If it is, sometimes taking an antidepressant during the winter months can have a positive impact on your ability to prevent and reduce SAD symptoms. Working with a therapist is also incredibly important in helping you recognize your symptoms, reducing symptoms, and creating coping skills to deal with the symptoms that are present. Medication and therapy do not have to feel like permanent things in your life, but can be necessary during periods of time when you know you need the extra support.
It is so normal to experience a range of different mental health issues from season to season. SAD is one example of how this may show up for you. If you are beginning to experience the symptoms of SAD or know that it is common for you to experience these symptoms during the fall and winter months, then give yourself the best chance to have a good season and take on the tips you need.
