At Peak Wellness, we understand that seasonal depression can significantly impact mental well-being during the winter months. While many experience the joy of the holiday season, individuals struggling with seasonal affective disorder may encounter increased feelings of sadness, isolation, and low energy. We recognize the challenges posed by this condition and offer compassionate, evidence-based treatment options. Our dedicated team is committed to helping you navigate these difficulties and cultivate a greater sense of well-being throughout the winter months and beyond.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is classified as a depression-based mental health condition. This condition is triggered by a variety of factors that vary per individual. SAD and its triggers are serious and should be treated as such. This disorder affects roughly 5 percent of individuals in America, the loved ones of whom sadly are often unaware of the sufferer’s struggles. If you suspect anybody you know may be suffering from a seasonal affective disorder, it is gravely vital to get them the top-quality help they need.
What Causes Mental Health to Decline During Certain Seasons?
Each individual experiencing seasonal mental health concerns has a unique set of triggers, which can stem from a wide range of factors.
The most difficult thing for anybody to deal with is understandably the loss of a loved one. Some can appear to handle this loss well until a certain season or holiday like Christmas or winter comes along. This is especially the case if this loss occurred during the season the affected person is experiencing SAD. Then, suddenly, these heartaches can hit hard without warning. This overwhelming sense of depression is a burden nobody should have to handle alone.
A financial or physical hardship can induce seasonal depression, especially around winter holidays for many reasons. However, spring and fall seasonal affective disorders can also be triggered due to these hardships. These reasons can be due to the loss of a job, health problems, a sudden disability, or other hardships unique to the individual.
Traumatic life occurrences take an obvious toll on mental and physical health. However, mental responses to these traumas can be delayed, resulting in seasonal affective disorders that require top-quality trauma therapy. This means an individual may appear to react well emotionally to the trauma, but show signs later than expected. Reality can hit later in many cases. That’s why it is important to observe if one exhibits appropriate immediate emotional responses to trauma. Emotional and mental responses can occur later, unbeknownst to the individual or their surrounding loved ones.
Sunlight is a key natural ingredient to maintaining a healthy neuronic balance as a natural mood and energy booster. Therefore, for many, decreased sunlight that accompanies the winter and fall seasons contributes to decreased mood, energy, and possible depression. In cases where sunlight is the main contributor to SAD, medically approved vitamin supplements can help you overcome the affectation of these seasonal changes.
Winter Mental Health Tips to Improve SAD
Thankfully, there are several self-help activities you can do to help alleviate some of the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Please note, that taking professional treatment in conjunction with the following winter mental health tips is highly recommended, if not required to ensure method efficacy.
Pushing yourself to get outside and do exercises like walking, running, or hiking is often the most difficult for individuals suffering from mental health battles. You may find yourself having little drive to do anything. However, once you begin the act of exercise, you’ll always be glad you did. That’s because exercise is a natural dopamine producer with natural mental healing properties. A good rule of thumb is anytime you don’t feel like exercising, you probably should.
Mental health conditions, seasonal and otherwise make you want to stay inside and do nothing. That is the most dangerous recipe to get lost in your negative thought patterns. Regular hobbies are a positive distraction that can help you build positive mental reinforcement and fend off negative mental impulses. Sometimes, you may be so preoccupied with mental health battles, you don’t even know what hobbies you enjoy. That’s where our caring treatment team comes in, helping you discover enjoyable hobbies based on your enjoyment.
Loneliness in SAD is most common because many spend too much time alone in their thoughts. That’s why spending ample time with family, friends, and those closest is a natural remedy to improve mental health through companionship. Circumstances and the quality of your companions matter when it comes to coping with and overcoming SAD symptoms.
Studies find that excessive carb intake and other unhealthy dietary choices in conjunction with weather changes are natural anxiety and depression stimulants. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet can alter these negative chemical neuronic effects to naturally improve mood, energy, and poor thought patterns. Peak Mental Health can help you implement a personalized nutritional diet suited to your needs to help you get over the hump of your symptom struggles.
Since lack of natural sunlight feeds negative moods and thoughts, anything that mimics natural lighting can be a minor aid to help seasonal mental health problems. That said, opening windows, and drapes, or turning on lights can help clear your thoughts. You’d be surprised how a little fresh air and lighting go a long way in getting your mentality on track. For specifics on how to magnify the efficacy of this tip, speak to a mental health expert today.
Peak Mental Health Can Help You Heal
Peak Mental Health is your key to soaring above the mountaintops of your seemingly insurmountable battles. Given the right winter mental health tips and administration from our unparalleled treatment specialists, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. Contact us now to get all the support, confidence, and peace of mind you’ve always wanted in a treatment program.
