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| Winter Blues |
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"Seasonal Affective Disorder" or "SAD" is the
formal term for what has been commonly known as the Winter Blues --
reoccurring depression that comes with the cold, short days of
winter. And yes, it really is a recognized diagnosis for as many as
20% of our population.
Common symptoms include:
Depressed mood
Anxiety
Loss of energy
Social withdrawal
Increased sleep and sleepiness
Loss of interest in activities you once
enjoyed, including sex
Overeating, especially foods high in
carbohydrates
Weight gain
Difficulty concentrating and processing
information
Though many people may experience some of these
symptoms in the winter, an accurate diagnosis with SAD means that
the symptoms cause significant impairment of the individual's normal
functioning. For very mild and transient experiences of the Winter
Blues, the above cartoon's verbal remedy "snap out of it" may work,
however for many with the true symptoms of SAD, further intervention
is going to be necessary.
What causes SAD?
There are a few theories about the cause of this disorder. Some
research suggests that the shortening daylight hours impacts the
circadian rhythms which regulate normal sleep and wake cycles. In
addition, the sleep-related hormone melatonin, associated with
depression, has been shown to increase during the winter months.
Another plausible cause is one linked to low-levels of Seratonin, a
neurotransmitter whose production is triggered by sunlight.
Besides antipressant medications, what can you do to manage the
symptoms of SAD?
Light Therapy - sitting daily in front of
full-spectrum lights to mimic daylight
Vitamin supplements - fish and flax oils, B-
complex
Herbal supplements - such as St. John's Wort
and Sam-E
Be conscious of what you eat - pick foods that
energize rather than sedate you!
Use hypnotherapy to support new thinking and
behavioral patterns
Exercise - this stimulates the production of
those happy chemicals:)
And my absolute favorite recommendation...get
outside! Bundle up, breathe some fresh air, allow the natural sun to
touch your skin and the cool temps to invigorate you. In our
technological lives we spend too much time indoors, behind cubicles,
staring at machines of some sort. Give winter a chance to enliven
you!!!
By Lisa Keutman, psychotherapist
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