Advice for preventing the symptoms of “Cabin Fever” during the winter months in Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas – Winter weather has kept Arkansans indoors for the past few days, leading to cabin fever for some.

It can be quite difficult for people who battle addiction or mental health problems to manage their symptoms on their own.

According to Psychiatrist for Positive Recovery Nihit Kumar, these are the kinds of symptoms you could encounter.

“Irritability, being frustrated, annoyed easily, and there are multiple reasons why that happens,” said Kumar. “It is basically a syndrome where psychologically your brain starts to move away from the human brain which is the social connectedness aspect.”

According to Kumar, mental health issues can worsen with time, so it can be helpful to have a strategy in place before they arise.

“Reach out to friends and family saying, ‘hey, would it be okay if I called you on the phone and connect you via zoom’, doing some household improvement projects or even kind of spending time with their family could be great things to help with that,” said Kumar.

According to Dori Haddock, regional director of CHI St. Vincent Addiction Recovery Program’s Bradford Health Services, irregularity plays a major role in this.

“Whenever we are locked in for snow, or something like an illness, then that routine gets messed up,” said Haddock. “That is when it becomes complicated and sometimes the depression can increase or the triggers of wanting to use not having that meeting.”

She noted that staying occupied is crucial to getting through the period of isolation and that thanks to technological advancements, assistance is always just a phone call away.

“You can do therapy via telehealth,” said Haddock. “You can do online meetings for AA and NA all of the time and so there is opportunity for people who are struggling to be able to reach out within the confines of their home.”

You can always text or call the suicide and crisis helpline at 9-8-8 if you need help right away.

You can also give the CHI St. Vincent Addiction Recovery Program a call at (501) 725-8000, according to Haddock.