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Avoid suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder this fall with 3 expert tips
Aptly named and upsettingly common, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression thats connected to changes in seasons. For most people, it starts in the fall, sapping energy and making them feel moody, on edge, and lacking in motivation. Treatments include light therapy and medications, but prevention is the best cure.
The Focus asked three trauma and mental health specialists for their best pieces of advice regarding the pre-emption and avoidance of seasonal affective disorder. Their tips and tricks highlight the wintertime value of regular physical activity and natural sunlight, and could prove invaluable as the nights get longer and the mercury drops, and will tackle SADs more prosaic cousin too the regular winter blues.
1. Identify and engage in anti-depressant behaviors
Just like there are anti-depressant medications, there are also anti-depressant behaviors, says Thomas Banta. Hes a trauma specialist and mental health counselor.
Thomas says we should be changing our behaviors long before the seasons change for the best chances of avoiding SAD. Good thing we’re running this story in early September, hey!
He encourages his clients to focus on their locus of control, meaning the things in their lives they can change.
We cannot change the fact that it is dark when we leave work every day or that it’s too cold to participate in many of our previous hobbies. However, we can change our behaviors.
The main anti-depressant behaviors he identifies are exercise, pro-social activities (getting around people), and spending a little bit of time outdoors yes, even if the weather sucks.
Seeing friends and doing exercise may not be unique solutions to seasonal affective disorder. It was the approach that struck me, and the linguistic trick of identifying of “anti-depressant behaviors” as a way to negate the need for anti-depressant medications.
You could also put on your favorite piece of music and dance around the living room. Studies show that listening to classic music, for example, can do wonders for mood regulation.
Focusing on their locus of control helps his clients avoid the most common trap people fall into regarding SAD: I feel bad, so I am not doing what I enjoy, and then I never feel better because I am not doing what I enjoy.
Its a vicious cycle, he says. To avoid getting caught up in it, we need to break out of the mindset of waiting until we feel better before we take action because then we won’t do the things that will make us feel better.
Thomas Banta is the founder of Banta Counselling. His primary focus as a counselor is helping his clients get through trauma, and he does so by providing “evidence-based therapy to address each individual’s unique challenges.”
2. Look for natural light and engage in physical activity
Kristie Tse is a regular contributor to these pages. For her, establishing a regular and consistent sleep schedule is a fundamental way to regulate her mood and energy levels during the darker months.
One of the ways she achieves this is to prioritize exposure to natural light during the day.
This can take the form of seeking out sunny spots in the home, positioning your desk next to the window, or taking a walk during your lunch break.
Another way to improve sleep is to engage in daily physical activity. Kristie aims for daily walks or workouts and ensures that movement becomes part of her routine. This elevates my mood significantly, she says.
Kristie is a psychotherapist with a focus on culturally sensitive, evidence-based therapy. Shes the founder of Uncover Mental Health Counselling.
3. Give yourself things to look forward to
Dr Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist at Comprehend The Mind, explains that seasonal affective disorder is more common among women than men, and often lingers throughout the entire winter.
Among other things, she recommends not watching the news immediately before trying to get to sleep, factoring in an hour to wind down before bed, and engaging in activities that ease you into a restful state.
But the piece of advice that struck me most was this: Book your calendar.
The more you have to look forward to the better your mood will be, she says. Social withdrawal is common in the winter when temperatures drop. Take turns hosting dinner events and get around people.
Put things in the diary that you can look forward to so that you dont find yourself stagnating and withdrawing from social contact.
Studies show that anticipating future events can be more pleasurable than the events themselves. It involves mentally simulating future scenarios, which activates the brain’s reward system and releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and happiness, according to Psychology Today.
Why not take advantage of your brains reward system to beat the winter blues?
Dr Hafeez is the founder and director of Comprehend The Mind. She earned her doctorate at Hofstra University and completed post-doctoral work in neurodevelopmental psychology at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, New York.
What to do if SAD is a persistent problem and wont go away
Thomas Banta says its typical for SAD to be a recurring disorder. However, in most cases, developing protective factors can prevent future episodes.
If the symptoms are recurring and severe, he says, it is worth seeing a therapist skilled in CBT and/or a prescriber to try psychiatric medication. It responds to the same treatments as unipolar depression, he adds, which we have come a long way to treating, so you do not have to continue suffering.
Kristie Tse encourages us to recognize personal patterns and proactively implement strategies to mitigate the effects of SAD. In other words, self-assessment and active effort are fundamental in the fight against SAD.
I remember a client who initially experienced SAD without knowing it, she says, having dismissed the symptoms as mere winter blues. After we explored her feelings and identified triggers, she began to apply strategies such as maintaining a regular routine and enhancing her physical activity during dark months. Over time, this learning transformed her seasonal experience into something manageable, allowing her to embrace winter with less fear and more resilience.
