Feeling SAD?

When it’s dark outside, it can be dark inside.

It can be quite a comforting experience to light the fires and curl up inside while watching Mother Nature do her worst outside your window. But for some, the Autumn & Winter months of the year can feel very long indeed.

Sometimes called The Winter Blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder affects 6.7% of people in Ireland & 3% of the population in the UK.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterised by a depression with symptoms that worsen during certain times of the year, usually during with the Autumn & Winter seasons and improve throughout the Spring into the Summer, but this can vary for each individual.

Typical symptoms include:

• Persistent Low Mood
• Lack or loss of pleasure in normal regular activities
• IrritabilityDespair
• Guilt
• Worthlessness
• Low Self-esteem
• Tearfulness
• Elevated stress levels
• Reduced libido
• Withdrawing from social life
• Fatigue
• Lethargy
• Disrupted sleep cycles & patterns
• Decreased ability to concentrate or remember things
• Increased appetite

These symptoms can be interrupted by periods of happiness, increased energy and sociability, sometimes described as ‘manic’ episodes which confuse some into thinking that their experience is something other than a type of depression.

SAD is a treatable illness, treated in much the same way as other types of depression and can include a combination of medicinal treatments as well as talking therapies. Your GP should help identify the best treatment options for you.

If you think you may have SAD I urge you to seek professional help starting with your GP and then a Counsellor or Psychotherapist. There is help available for sufferers and there is absolutely no need for you to suffer alone.

While you are waiting for help there are some things you can try yourself that may help relieve the symptoms, which include the following:

• Start keeping a journal.
• Get out in the daylight.
• When you are inside, sit near windows if you can.
• Take regular daily exercise.
• Eat a healthy & well-balanced diet.
• Take steps to manage exposure to stress.

If you would like to talk about depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder feel free to contact BroadMinds Therapy for help & advice. We offer a free consultation with no obligation to book further sessions. Call (+353) 0899420568, email help@broadmindstherapy.org , message us via this website, or visit our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/jpbroad for more information.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this article.