March 28, 2024

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the Holiday Blues

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The holiday season will begin soon and many people will be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinners, signaling that Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanza are just around the corner. Time starts to become more precious, money becomes even tighter, and the days become shorter and shorter, causing them to be darker and darker. Depression during this time can occur for different reasons – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which may be triggered by the reduction of light, or “Holiday Blues”, which may be triggered by loneliness, reflection on past failures, anxiety about financial situations, just to name a few. It is important to realize that there are similarities and differences between the two disorders, and what you can do to help realize what they are, and how to deal with them.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder associated with episodes of depression, but only during the winter months, and related to seasonal variations of light. According to statistics by the Mental Health America organization, “SAD affects half a million people every winter between September and April, peaking in December, January, and February. The “Winter Blues”, a milder form of SAD, may affect even more. SAD is more common in women, usually between the ages of eighteen (18) and thirty (30) and living in the northern geographic regions”.

A diagnosis of SAD has a much higher threshold to meet than suffering from the “holiday blues”. You must have at least three (3) consecutive winters of depression (misery, guilt, hopelessness, etc.), anxiety (tension, inability to tolerate stress), mood changes (extremes of moods), sleep problems (difficulty staying awake, oversleeping), lethargy (inability to carry out normal duties, fatigue), overeating (food cravings, weight gain), social problems (irritability and avoidance of social contact), and sexual problems (loss of libido). The symptoms must clear up by the spring/summer of each year in order to be considered actual SAD.

Exposure to bright lights (phototherapy) has been shown to decrease the production of the body’s own supply of melatonin, which is a primary cause of depression. While some cases require intense, daily, long-term exposure to bright light to be effective, many cases can be helped with simply more exposure to winter sunlight through walking or arranging home and workspaces to accept more natural light.

While SAD is a mood disorder with specific diagnostic criteria, anyone can be affected by the “holiday blues”. We are brought up to believe that the holidays are a wonderful time of year – filled with family gatherings, a bountiful feast, and exchanging thoughtful and personal gifts. But the holidays can also bring unexpected stress, especially to three main areas of your life – physical demands, finances, and personal/professional relationships.

We’ve all experienced the shopping trips to the mall where the only space available is a half mile from the front door, the only gift your child wants has been sold out for two months, and crowds of shoppers resemble participants at the Calgary Stampede. Add to that cooking and cleaning for a houseful of guests, and you can feel completely exhausted and confused. Overspending during the holidays on gifts, travel, parties, and the family feast, especially when you are simply trying to make ends meet within the state of our economy, will increase your stress. A wonderful feeling of support and togetherness can come out of family gatherings, but so can misunderstanding, personality clashes, and arguments over hurt feelings from long ago. Missing a loved one who has left the family or passed away can leave you with sadness and/or loneliness.

Sticking to as normal routine (diet, exercise, and sleep) as possible will help you minimize the stress you may feel during the holiday season. It is important to take care of yourself, so that you can take care of those around you. Learn to say no to some activities. Make a plan that is realistic and prioritize what really needs to be done. Get the family involved in the planning and spread out the responsibilities. Don’t underestimate what children can and want to do to help with decorating, cleaning, and wrapping. Decide in advance what is affordable and stick to that budget. Everyone is feeling the pinch this year, so don’t feel obligated to “do as much as you did last year”. Most importantly, limit your use of alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol will only make feelings of loneliness, despair, and anxiety worse. Be a role model to your children, and show them that holidays can be enjoyed without over indulging in food and alcohol.

Being realistic about what you can and can’t do, planning ahead, and asking for, and accepting support from those around you can help you enjoy your holidays more, and alleviate the stress that can occur around the holiday season.

The staff of East Bay Center Inc., wish everyone health, joy, and prosperity throughout the holiday season!

Access to Care When You Need It:

East Bay Center clinicians are always available by scheduled appointment or through the Center’s “Walk-in” model of care to assist adults, children, and their families through any number of complicated issues. Conveniently located in East Providence on the Wampanoag Trail – help is just around the corner. We encourage you to visit our website at www.eastbay.org for information regarding services, employment, locations, etc. To speak to someone regarding services or to schedule an appointment, please call 401-246-1195 and ask for “Intake”.

east bay center, mental health, addictions, substance abuse, seasonal affective disorder, winter blues

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