Skip to main content

Tis the Season....for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)


I swear, once that first leaf hits the ground, it's like a national alarm to start your holiday engines and get ready to plaster the most merriest of smiles across your face for the next 4 months.

Isn't that what society tells us? That this time of year is the "Most Wonderful Time of The Year!". Sure, in an ideal world, where all holidays are recognized and celebrated, where we all had plenty of money to buy our loved ones their most favorite things, where we all had enough food for the table and where we all had safe and supportive families and friends to visit. In reality, not everyone has these things, making this time of the year stressful, depressing and pretty much the opposite of wonderful. 

Now let's say you are fortunate enough to have most of these things, and you still feel sad and depressed when the green flag of holiday racing is waved. You may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. SAD is usually triggered by the shorter and colder days that hit us in the Fall.  The lack of sunlight can throw off your Serotonin and Melatonin levels, leaving you feeling more tired, depressed, moody and hungry. 

Whichever category you find yourself in this holiday season, it's important to recognize your struggle and seek support before it spirals out of control. This time of year usually leads to an increase in substance use and suicide ideation. For people suffering from SAD, sometimes utilizing Light Therapy (phototherapy) is enough to help get their levels normalized, other times seeking  talk therapy and medication is necessary. For those struggling to live up to society's expectation of them this holiday season, it's important to seek support from those we trust, accept what we cannot change and continue doing the best we can do.  


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Secular in the South

I am excited to announce that Life Informed Therapy has been approved to be listed as a provider for the Secular Therapy Project. This would not have seemed like a big deal to me practicing New England, however, once I moved to North Carolina and now Ohio, I became more aware of how difficult it is to find a non faith based therapist. While I am not dismissing those who find comfort in religion, I do think there should be a better way to find a secular therapist. Nothing turns away a secular client like a therapist telling them their struggle is God's will. Unfortunately, even the largest therapy directory, Psychology Today, does not offer an option to filter secular therapists, which is why the Secular Therapy Project is so invaluable. #mentalhealth #counseling #therapy
Post a Comment
Read more

Newport, Ky office now open!

Our Newport, Ky location is now open! Professional, private, and easily accessible to downtown Cincinnati.
Post a Comment
Read more

Who are you?

When you are out with friends, in a work meeting, or strolling down the grocery aisle, do you feel like you are the same person as you are home alone? If not, why? Are you purposely changing who you are or are you subconsciously masking your personality to fit in? Is this exhausting? While everyone's situation is different, it is never too late to be who you really are. Continuing to live a life that suppresses your true self can lead to increased depression and anxiety. While multiple factors can influence a persons reason to hide their identity, Life Informed Therapy can help support you in making the transition to living authentically.
1 comment
Read more