By: Erika Dino
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
What are the winter blues? During the winter, a portion of individuals start to become aware of their feelings of sadness or hopelessness, which can lead them to being unable to function in their daily lives. Seasonal affective disorder is a depression that occurs during particiular season. Not only can it happen in the winter, but during the summer as well. Most common ages for SAD to happen involve the ages 20 to 50.
Symptoms:
- Feelings of depression
- Craving more hours of sleep due to reduced energy
- Weight gain
- Feeling drowsy
Is there a treatment?
- Medication
- Psychotherapy
- Maintaining a regular schedule
- Exercising
- Exposure to light (light therapy)
- Healthy number hours of sleep
Seasonal Affective Disorder is more common in women. According to John M. Grohol, “With a little effort, the winter blues can be beaten.” Psychotherapy can help as a mental health professional can evaluate you and ask about your behavioral patterns. Talking about your feelings and emotions can help because identifying your negative thoughts can lead to learning positive approaches to change the winter blues feelings. Make your lifestyle brighter.
https://psychcentral.com/lib/seasonal-affective-disorder/
Image: https://comps.canstockphoto.com/seasonal-affective-disorder-drawing_cp11824144.jpg
If you or someone you know is suffering from seasonal affective disorder please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to speak with our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists to get a free phone consultation at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.
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