A Sad Time of Year
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- Created on Thursday, 12 November 2015 19:45
- Written by Emma Kaplan
NORTHEAST KINGDOM- As the cold weather and snow approaches, those around the Northeast Kingdom are preparing for the physical conditions of winter, but how many are prepared for the toll winter may take on their mental well-being? Now that the the days are getting shorter and the nights are much longer, many residents may be experiencing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is commonly referred to as S.A.D. and is caused by a lack of daylight. People typically begin feeling the effects in early October and they tend to subside around mid March or April. According to Stephanie Churchill, a licensed marriage and family therapist at St. Johnsbury’s Counseling Center, “One of the things that happens with S.A.D. is that Serotonin, a hormone that makes you feel good, is not triggered because there is not as much sunlight. Instead, melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy, is triggered more often due to the lack of sunlight.”
Despite the depressive state a lack of sunshine can put someone in, there are several ways to combat the disorder. “There are medications available called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) that are commonly prescribed,” Churchill told us. “The medications are not addictive and people typically begin taking them in mid-October and come off of them in April.”
Medications are not the only way to boost your mood. “Cognitive behavior challenges the negative thoughts we sometimes have, and helps to change the emotion by changing the thought. So instead of saying ‘I’m going to be depressed until spring comes’, say ‘I’m going to find something to do this winter to start feeling better.’”
Seasonal Affective Disorder from NewsLINC on Vimeo.
