We're officially in the middle of winter, and many of us are feeling grumpy, in need of a nap, or completely drained, both physically and mentally. And it may not be our fault. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a very real subtype of depression that some people experience only during certain times of the year.
Low-grade sorrows like those of David Klemanski in Psychology, MPH, and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale University mentions this, and it pretty reliably affects about 5-6% of Americans (about 13 million people!) on an annual basis during the same season. And when the seasons change, oh my! It's gone.
Most people who suffer from SAD feel it in late fall and winter, when there is much less natural light and warmth, but it can occur at other times of the year as well.
General mild sadness is unfortunately a common symptom of SAD, but it can also affect how much you sleep (some people even go into hibernation, which can be detrimental to their lives) and what and how they eat and drink. can cause symptoms. Loss of interest in activities that usually bring us joy.
Klemanski chatted with us — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michaelson, co-hosts HuffPost's “Am I doing it wrong?” Podcast — How SAD commonly manifests, why it happens, and how to avoid feeling like garbage during the gray, dark winter months.
If you think you might have SAD, the first thing to do is talk to a professional about it, Klemansky said. Whatever you are experiencing, it is very important to get a clinical diagnosis in order to treat it accurately and feel better as soon as possible.
Once a diagnosis is obtained, structure tends to be the key to moving forward. Kermansky recommends auditing your daily routine to determine if you need to make adjustments to get plenty of natural light, exercise, and possibly take therapy or antidepressants. . Connections with other humans are especially important for dealing with SAD, he said.
“The number one thing that can help us change our mood, either momentarily or long-term, is having a good support network,” Kelmansky said. “So if you know that fall is going to be a tough time for you, who can you turn to for support? Who can help you get out of that funk when you're in it?” ?'' He suggests having a solid support system. Whether that's your chosen family, your biological family, friends, co-workers, or anyone else who can comfort you when you're in the winter mood.
We also discussed the potential benefits of bright light therapy to check your vitamin D levels, how alcohol and cannabis can affect your mood in the case of SAD.
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