Overcoming Winter Sadness

You are unlikely to hear many people complain that Spring has stuck around for far too long, but Winter is an entirely different story. Of course, snowboard fanatics and skiers may never want the winter to end, but it often drags on way too long for most people. As a result of winter, many people experience the winter blues, a reasonably familiar problem, particularly in areas where winter weather prevails the longest. These blues can make you feel extremely sad or cause you to lack energy, though many people do not fully understand why it happens.

The mental health field uses the term Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D. for this illness. Experts assume the disorder is related to reduced exposure to sunlight and physical conditioning that many people encounter in the winter months. Therefore, people in northern regions often experience symptoms of Seasonal Affective disorder much more often than those in Southern areas where it stays much warmer, and they have more access to daylight and expanded physical activity.

For most individuals who deal with the condition, S.A.D. causes a generally mild depression. Symptoms incorporate decreased participation in activities of interest or hobbies, reduced energy, and overall loss of interest in things they previously found enjoyable. However, in the most extreme cases, S.A.D. is significant enough to cause severe bouts of depression. This depression can be robust enough to require hospitalization or possibly fierce enough to increase a person’s risk of suicide. Fortunately, there are methods to battle these mid-winter blues. However, if the effects are too far-reaching, Nadia Dhillon Counseling can provide a professional counselor in Richmond, VA, to initiate proven therapy methods.

One specific antidote is spending more time in the sunlight. It is acknowledged that even a ten-minute exposure to daylight can help brighten an individual's mood and general well-being. There is also proof that increased exercise and physical conditioning can help stomp out winter sadness.  Even on the most frigid days, merely bundling up and heading outdoors for a quick stroll or playtime with the children or the pooch can help the signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is also relatively healthy to put additional effort into activities that bring pleasure and satisfaction.  Hanging out with relatives or companions, heading out to a movie, laboring on a favored hobby, or just eating lunch with somebody you enjoy being around can all help boost your spirits. It is paramount to bypass retreating from daily activities and lying about with nothing to concentrate on but feeling sad.

If winter generates sensations of distress and loneliness for you, it is alright. But if your winter sadness or that of a relative or loved one is intense enough to influence day-to-day life negatively, contact a trusted doctor or confer with an experienced counselor. There are diverse therapy alternatives available with the help of trusted mental health experts to aid in keeping S.A.D. from consuming your energy. These possibilities include counseling, an assortment of light therapies, and even pharmaceutical treatments. Visit therapodz.com to plan a session with a counselor in Richmond, VA, to initiate therapy for your Seasonal Affective Disorder and support you in starting to feel normal again.