Richmond Mental Health
As winter approaches, you might find your emotional experience affected by the changing seasons. It's important to understand why the change in seasons has such a dramatic effect on our mental health.
The change in seasons brings many changes to our physical and emotional experience. Everything from a lack of light to decreased vitamin D, to the rollback from Daylight Savings time, to holiday celebrations with family and friends can impact our mental health, for better or for worse.
For some people, depression rolls around routinely when wintertime arrives. This form of depression is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and is incredibly common. It's thought that lessened exposure to light and nature contribute to the experience of SAD.
If you have SAD, you might dread winter because you can sense your depression approaching. Coming up with a coping plan can make the transition from fall to winter much more manageable. Some interventions you might want to try for SAD include light therapy, outdoor activity, and exercise.
SAD can make it feel impossible to survive the wintertime. Contact Life by Design Therapy to learn how we can help you strengthen your coping skills as winter approaches so you can not only survive but thrive, despite your SAD.
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