The Holidays are here! While it can be the most wonderful time of the year for many, this season may be difficulty for others emotionally speaking. During the months of Fall and Winter, individuals may experience Major Depressive Disorder with seasonal pattern, which is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some of the symptoms include, pervasive sadness, hopelessness, social isolation, increased or decreased sleep and appetite and even suicidal thoughts.
We thought it would be helpful to have some tips to cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder or “the holiday blues”. Here are 4 tips on how to cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Light Therapy: Many experiences SAD due to how much faster sunset comes during the winter. To counter this, people can expose themselves to very bright light for 30-45 minutes per day. This has proven to improve mood during the winter.
- Psychotherapy: It is helpful to have a professional you can talk to in order to explore these feelings and even more ways to cope with them in the winter season.
- Exercise: When suffering from SAD the most common symptom is depressive moods. Exercising is a great tool that will help your brain produce endorphins, which will improve mood. It will help you have better focus, memory, and overall health.
- Medication: If the symptoms are severe enough, the professionals will most likely refer you to someone who will be able to prescribe the necessary medication for your specific symptoms. It is always very important that you do not self diagnose, but get evaluated first.
If you are in need of more skills to manage Seasonal Affective Disorder, contact us today.
