Alleviating Seasonal Depression

Over ten million Americans experience symptoms of S.A.D.

Alleviating Symptoms of Seasonal Depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder touches the lives of over 15 million people in America alone annually. As the cycle of nature transitions from the long, warm days of summer into the colder and darker days of the winter season, many people find themselves experiencing an annual depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. The Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) describes the disorder as marked by symptoms such as a depressed mood, irritability, reduced enjoyment of pleasurable activities, trouble sleeping, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Seasonal Affective Disorder is one of the most common forms of depression affecting five percent of the general population and up to twenty-five percent of individuals with co-morbid disorders such as Major Depression Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. This fact allows the implication that most people in America know someone coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder or are experiencing symptoms themselves.

While research shows that the most at-risk populations for Seasonal Affective Disorder are women in their early adulthood who live in northern climates, anyone can experience symptoms during the winter months. Other facts like one’s personal family health history can also play a pivotal role in who may experience symptoms and who might not. Studies of family units and twins produced results showing a link between genetics and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Fourteen to twenty-six percent of the study’s sample population experiencing systems had parents or grandparents who experienced seasonal depression. 

Middle-aged women are most at risk to experience seasonal depression

Does any of this sound like you? Do you find yourself shrinking away with the reduced light of the winter months? If so, you may be one of the millions of people experiencing symptoms on the spectrum of seasonal affective disorder. Even so, the effects of the symptoms can be alleviated. We can learn to reframe our cognitions and embrace the changing season for the regenerative qualities it is meant to bestow. 

Our modern brains are still very much connected to our ancient roots. This natural phenomenon known as the collective unconscious was studied in great detail by psychologist Carl Jung. This psychological concept states that all mankind is linked by shared concepts kept within our subconscious. On an extremely basic level, it can be imagined as a type of naturally ingrained instinct or reflex. To that end, our ancestors had a far deeper and more personal relationship with nature than we do today. That is why they understood that the shorter days and longer nights of winter were meant to be a time of recharging and renewal. By listening to that subconscious knowledge, we can begin to heal.

Modern society tends to resist the natural cycle of the year in favor of a more capitalism-friendly model and often goes so far as to attempt the manipulation of nature. However, if we allow ourselves to be mindful and embrace the natural beauty of the season, develop rituals to help us grow and renew ourselves in the quiet time of the years, and find calm by living within the natural ebb and flow of the short days and longer nights, we can put ourselves in alignments with nature and alleviate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. By doing so, we can begin to thrive instead of survive.

Finding your light in the darkness

Embrace

Embrace the natural beauty of winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder can blind us from being able to appreciate the different natural aesthetics we are exposed to during the winter months. We must learn to look for, and appreciate, the charm of a winter’s day. The muffled quiet of a snow-covered field or the infinite patterns of a snowflake are just as awe-inspiring as a gorgeous sunset on the beach at the height of summer.

Ritual

Ritual refers to any series of actions performed with intention in a deliberate order. Practicing rituals can alleviate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder by reducing anxiety and increasing endorphins. Rituals can be as elaborate as lighting candles to draw in the light and meditating to Tibetan singing bowls while chanting or as simple as having a cup of tea at the same time every evening and reflecting on the lessons of the day. The point is to create space for you to relax, recharge, and reinvigorate.out

Sync

Learning to sync with the season is the key to reducing anxiety and allowing your body’s natural rhythm to begin the healing process. You are fortifying yourself for the year to come. Have your lunch outside by a window to take advantage of what light there is to keep your vitamin D levels up. Don’t fight against the changing light. Instead, try to coordinate your schedule as much as possible to nature’s clock to maximize your daylight hours and use the longer nights as a pathway to energize your mind, body, and spirit. 

If you are experiencing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder or you just need to talk, reach out to us and schedule a free consultation call today by clicking here.