How to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder
By Jenn Bovee, LCSW, CRADC, CCHt
EMDR Trained
The minute daylight savings time sets in we begin to see more clients presenting with an increase in symptoms of depression. But we thought it would be worthwhile to present you with some information on what exactly Seasonal Affective Disorder is, as well as present you with some effective coping skills to lessen the impact of seasonal affective disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression that’s involved in the changes of the seasons. SAD (another term for Seasonal Affective Disorder) begins and ends at about the same time each and every year. Many people begin noticing symptoms increasing in the fall months and are in full-blown depression by winter months. People who struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder talk about how their energy begins to drain more and more and they feel moodier. The seasonal affective disorder rarely creates a depression in the spring and summer months.
The problem with Seasonal Affective Disorder is that many people are quick to dismiss their symptoms as simply the “winter blues” or the “holiday funk” that they can get out of on their own. In our clinical experience, it's not always as easy as just making a decision of “getting over it” for everyone. Therefore, we’d like to review what the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder are.
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder include:
Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
Having low energy
Having problems with sleeping
Experiencing changes in your appetite or weight
Feeling sluggish or agitated
Having difficulty concentrating
Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
Oversleeping
Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
Weight gain
Tiredness or low energy
If you are experiencing an increase in symptoms or having difficulty accomplishing your tasks on any given day, we would like to encourage you to seek professional help. Getting professional help is always a great ideal in situations such as Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Meanwhile, we’d love to leave you with some effective ways to begin minimizing your Seasonal Affective Disorder even if in only a slight amount. Below are some effective coping skills for Seasonal Affective Disorder:
Light Therapy: Light therapy is also called phototherapy. The way it typically works is that you are expected to sit a few feet from a special light box so that you absorb the bright light within the first hour of waking up each day. The thing about light therapy is that it mimics natural outdoor light and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood.
Music Therapy: We frequently recommend our clients create a specific playlist of music that makes them feel special and amazing. Research is beginning to emerge that music can be healing for many people for stress, anxiety, and depression. We typically talk to our clients about creating ritualistic based playlists as a way to de-stress and allow themselves to transition from work to home, from family engagements back to their safe space, from stressful activities back to a calm place, etc. Many of our clients love being able ot incorporate music into their healing.
Movement Whether it’s dancing, yoga, stretching, or intentional movement. The important part of this is to focus on really intentionally moving your physical body. Moving your body releases endorphins and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being. It also has a secondary benefit of working as a distraction mechanism so it takes your depression and your worries. Regular movement and exercise also hold the potential to increase positive feelings and emotions, increase confidence, increase social interactions, and increase positive healthy coping mechanisms.
Mind-Body Connection: Mind-Body Connection is one of our favorite techniques to teach our clients. Mind-body techniques are especially helpful in reducing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Our go-to mind-body tools include EFT (Tapping), Meditation, and Self-Hypnosis. EFT (Tapping) is a great mechanism that is picking up popularity. One of our favorite things about EFT is just a mere 15 minutes of tapping has been proven to substantially reduce the stress chemical, cortisol.
No matter what coping skills you choose, we want you to know that you don’t have to go through Seasonal Affective Disorder alone. If you are ready or willing to begin the process of therapy please take a look here and learn more about our providers: https://www.thementalwellnesscenter.com/providers