Do you have seasonal depression? Treatment advice for seasonal affective disorder

Little Rock, Arkansas – Since the holidays are over and the chilly winter months are here to stay, some people may suffer from seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, or depression.

Now that the gifts have been opened and the confetti has been cleared away, we’re entering the season when some folks experience depression.

Feeling depressed for most of the day, almost every day, is one of the signs of seasonal depression, according to mental health therapist Katie Walker of Indigo Counseling.

“We’ll see a loss of activities, feeling very sluggish, low energy,” Walker said. “Also, there’s an increase in carb and sugar cravings, which then comes with overeating and weight gain, which then just feeds into the problem.”

Walker added that headaches and difficulty focusing are possible side effects.

“And then, of course, there’s going to be thoughts of suicide that can accompany SAD,” Walker said. “If you’re ever experiencing any sort of suicidal ideation, that should be your number one goal to reach out. The other symptoms you can watch and monitor, but if you see yourself withdrawing from your social support group, having no energy to do things that you love, within a week, that should be a red flag to you to reach out and start seeking help.”

Walker stated that getting away from Mother Nature is one of the simplest methods to combat seasonal depression, other than counseling and pharmaceuticals.

“The easiest option is exposure to sunlight, whether that’s physically outside or just sitting close to a window,” Walker said, “Sunlight actually increases serotonin levels.”

Walker said it’s critical to have a support network and that any form of physical activity can be beneficial, even if you’re not inspired to do it.

Refrain from drinking, take up a passion project, and be patient since transformation takes time.

People with SAD frequently experience extreme task overload. Walker recommended a fairly cool website that can assist you in decomposing those jobs into smaller, more manageable chunks.