Warm up your mood this winter and avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder
Do the winter months have you feeling more depressed and unmotivated than usual? You may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and Counseling and Psychological Services can help.
“There are normal days when you are sad or not feeling well, but when you start to realize that there’s something that’s not normal for you, it’s something to talk to your doctor about. There may be physical reasons for that and they may be able to talk about different medical treatment options,” said David Lairmore, a psychologist and outreach coordinator with Counseling and Psychological Services.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to the change in seasons. Symptoms typically start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.
“It’s tied to our circadian rhythm and it can disrupt your internal body clock. That internal body clock also has a role in our serotonin levels and having that reduced sunlight can have a drop in serotonin levels and trigger depression,” Lairmore said. “Somebody who already struggles with depression or anxiety is at a higher risk of SAD, but it can affect anyone.”
Lairmore said SAD may also be further complicated by social isolation caused by cold weather and shorter days.
“I would attribute winter and being inside more and not being able to get outside, I think that can trigger depression symptoms too,” he said. “I worry that people are concerned about COVID getting worse and winter numbers and mandates having to stay in place. That may make people choose to be more socially withdrawn when that may not be the case. I think you have to make more of an effort in these winter months to stave off these seasonal affective issues.”
Treatment for SAD may include light therapy (phototherapy), medications and psychotherapy.
“There’s a special light that you can purchase that can be effective in relieving seasonal affective symptoms,” Lairmore said.
Students can also reach out to CPS for counseling options such as coping strategies and the Let’s Talk Hours program, which invites students to stop in at the Living and Learning Center, Room 160, Sunday through Friday, from 5 to 10 p.m., or call 740-597-9145, to receive an in-person consultation with somebody that same day.
Students can contact the Counseling and Psychological Services office at 740-593-1616 for more information.