Ways to solve Seasonal depression

Do you stress out around the same time of year? Feeling sad or down most of the days? Losing interest in activities you used to love? Well is so you might have Seasonal Depression.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or Seasonal Depression is as common as it gets. Many people around the world suffer from SAD. According to Cleveland Clinic’s website, about 10 million Americans suffer seasonal depression a year.

Can you guess what season it most commonly occurs in ? If you guessed fall/winter, you were spot on. Depression is difficult to get over sometimes. Sometimes you can get it for a couple weeks, while others can get it for months, maybe years.

The first way to solve it is to just cry it out. Research shows that crying is actually way more effective than keeping in your emotions according to Select Health’s website. The best advice is to let it all out and it is a great coping mechanism to get your emotions and feelings off of your chest.

Another way to solve your SAD is to prioritize things that will benefit you. For instance, when people fall into depression, most people start to cut certain people out of their life and drop certain activities. They might even lock themselves in their room for hours at a time. But did you know that it actually makes your depression worse? The website Help Guide says not to distance yourself from others and says, “ It can be difficult to not isolate yourself but isolating yourself only makes your depression worse.” Hailey Wills, sophomore, says, “Just take some time off from everything and take deep breaths” to calm down and relax your mind when upset.

Getting a therapist and being one of the biggest steps you can take while having depression. You are accepting that you need help and that’s a good thing because now you know that you’re not alone. Although if you have a friend you might feel closer to and know you more, then you might think that having a therapist isn’t beneficial, but that’s not always the case. Very Well Mind’s website gives valid reasons on why it might be better having a therapist rather than talking to your friends or family about it. For one, you might be embarrassed or scared to tell your friend the whole truth about something, but while with a stranger, you might be more open to keep your guard down because you don’t know the person. Jennifer Allen, high school registrar, says, “A therapist is more objective then a friend and will tell you what you want to hear while a therapist will tell you the truth.”

It’s okay and important to keep reassuring yourself. When it comes to feelings, reassuring is a very recommended thing to do such as maybe putting up motivational notes, or even just telling yourself that you can do it and get through it.

Furthermore, knowing you’re not alone is also a big step moving forward. If feeling alone there will always be people online going through something the same, if not similar. National Alliance on Mental Illness’s website ‘ uses the phrase “Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about.’’ Thus, that goes back to knowing that you’re not alone in any battle because there is always going to be someone just like you going through the same thing.

In all, seasonal depression comes and goes and learning ways to cope and manage it makes it a lot easier for those who struggle with it. I hope this helps anyone going through SAD and always remember you are never alone.