Winter ‘Blues’ May Be More Than Harmless Mood
By Cassie Tarpley, The Star, Shelby, N.C.
Jan. 6–THE KNOW-IT-ALL: Laura Rudisill, MA, LPC, BCPCC; co-owner of Elite Consulting Unlimited
WHAT SHE KNOWS: Faith-based and mental health counseling
ARE YOU TIRED, fatigued, depressed, irritable? Do you have body aches? Are you sleeping poorly or too much? Are you overeating? Did these symptoms start as the days are getting shorter? Did you experience the same symptoms last fall and winter? Do you feel much better, more energetic during the spring and summer? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you may be affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder.
WHAT’S UP? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is recurrent depression that affects many people during the late fall and winter months.
The symptoms include overeating, mood changes, poor concentration, fatigue, anxiety, oversleeping and social problems. Most researchers believe that the symptoms of SAD are caused by the lack of sunlight or daylight, which cause a chemical imbalance in the brain.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: SAD can be a serious disorder and may require medical and psychiatric treatment.
WHAT TO DO: It is important if a person has depressive symptoms to see his/her medical doctor for an assessment. The doctor will determine the appropriate diagnosis, treatment/or referral, which can include counseling by a qualified mental health professional. Psychotherapy can help people learn strategies to cope with the symptoms.
For the milder form of winter blues, bringing more color into your home to make it more colorful and uplifting, socializing with positive family members and friends, taking mini vacations to warmer places, eating properly, keeping a positive mental attitude and reading the Bible and other inspirational books can help.
LEARN MORE AT THESE WEB SITES: SAD Association: www.sada.org.uk and the National Mental Health Association: www.nmha.org
ANY QUESTIONS? E-mail llrudisill@carolina.rr.com or call (704) 482-2977
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