I’ve long described myself as a summer person. I love the long days of sunlight, the freedom to do more things during the day and the warm-weather outdoor activities.

While fall is enjoyable, I often begin getting a sense of dread after Halloween – sometimes even sooner – as I anticipate colder weather, limited activities and less sunshine. As soon as people start discussing pumpkin-spice-whatever, I start groaning. For me, the worst part is how early in the day it gets dark and that the darkness is cold, sterile and inhospitable. In the spring or summer, the darkness is warm and filled with things like fireflies, chirping frogs and other signs of life. In Spring when the critters start moving around and the blooms start to appear, I feel the warmth creep into my body, making smiling easier and more frequent.

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) awareness month. The aptly-named disorder affects people during certain times of the year, mostly fall and winter. It occurs more often the further north someone lives and often abates with the arrival of spring or summer.

Some symptoms of SAD may include:

• Increased sadness or anxiety
• Reduced interest or joy in activities
• Fatigue, sleepiness or decreased energy
• Change in appetite (overeating or lack of appetite)
• Reduced cognitive ability to concentrate, make decisions or access memory
• Withdrawal
• Increase or decrease in amount or quality of sleep
• Physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive issues or other pains
• Feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness
• Thoughts of death or suicide

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5), SAD does not have its own diagnostic entry, but is a type of recurring Major Depression Disorder (MDD) with seasonal pattern. The criteria for recurring major depression with a seasonal pattern must begin and end during a specific season every year for at least two years and a person must have more seasons of depression rather than without depression over a lifetime.

Statistics show that about 5% of the overall population experiences this type of depression which lasts approximately 40% of the year. There is a subset of SAD, commonly referred to as the “Winter Blues,” described as S-SAD.

Researchers believe there are several things which contribute to SAD in the population. First, as with other depressive disorders, it can be attributed to a change in brain chemistry. People with SAD struggle with regulating neurotransmitters, which reduces the amount of serotonin activity, triggering depression. Additionally, a person can also have a condition which overproduces melatonin, a hormone that is triggered by darkness and can make a person feel sleepy and weary.

Another factor could also be that the lack of sunlight can cause someone with SAD to produce less vitamin D, which can also affect serotonin activity. Finally, these changes in serotonin and melatonin likely disturbs a person’s circadian rhythms. People with SAD have been shown to have a differently-timed internal clock, which can affect how their bodies adjust at different times of the year.

Here are some techniques which have helped people with SAD.  Even if you don’t meet the DSM-5 criteria, some of these can help you battle a depressed mood in the colder months:

• Antidepressant Medication
• Counseling
• Vitamin D
• Light Therapy
• Exercise
• Improved/regulated diet
• Social activities
• Fun activities

If you’re like me, you’re scanning that list and muttering, “yeah, right” to some of these. The last thing I want to do is bundle up with 137 layers and go jogging on stark, frozen roads. Nor, do I want to limit my intake of holiday goodies. If I’m feeling antsy, irritable and subdued, I want one of those chocolate cookies…maybe I want two (dozen).

But, as with most things mental health, you have to be active in your own treatment or recovery.  So, try to find something that is enjoyable or at least doable.

Using a tanning bed now and then can help with light therapy and leave you feeling energized. Doing yoga or a similar exercise indoors can be both a healthy experience for your body as well as calming for your mind. If you tend to overeat in the winter, make some specific goals by which you abide most of the time, but still leave some room to enjoy those familiar holiday treats. Reducing your intake by only 100 calories a day equates to one less meal a week! That can make a big difference, believe it or not.

Obviously, if you are considering taking vitamins or medication of any kind, please contact your physician. Vitamins and supplements can have some unintended consequences and their efficacy can vary greatly between individuals.

There tends to be a pretty wide variety of social activities during the holidays, whether it is the 4^th Grade’s off-key rendition of Jingle Bells, or the activation of your town’s lights. While you may not feel like going out, now is the time to force yourself into an activity that is outside of your home.

You can tailor your experience to your preferences. If you don’t want to be around a lot of people, go visit a drive-through lighting tour. If you need time away from the family, go see a movie by yourself or visit a local Christmas market and shop for gifts.

If weather keeps you in, maybe you just create a cozy place with a nice light-therapy lamp and sit down and read a book for 30 minutes. Or, work on a crafting project, whether that is a new hobby or one you have forsaken during the warmer months.

There are many traditions aimed at thwarting the oppression of winter, including bringing evergreen boughs or other plants inside the home. In some cultures, this represents eternal life, wards off evil spirits or is used as a reminder for the coming of spring. The tradition of erecting a Christmas tree indoors originated in Germany in the 1500s. Having live plants or cuttings from trees can be an important reminder that the cold, snowy, bleak weather will eventually end.

Unrelated to SAD, the holidays can be stressful and depressing for many. Whether it is because a person feels lonely, they miss someone they’ve lost recently or because they feel a lot of pressure to host or make the holiday special for everyone else. I realize this is a reoccurring theme in this blog, but it’s important to periodically evaluate your mental health and do what you can to keep yourself as happy as possible.

As with many disorders, the best thing to do is take stock of your mental health, what is affecting it and how you can combat negative influences. One of the worst things to do is ignore it or just “push” through, regardless of the reason for your change in feelings and behavior. Thinking about something obsessively doesn’t help. Thought doesn’t fight anxiety, only action does.  So, make a plan and then execute that plan. Hopefully, you can find some fun and inventive ways to fight those winter blues.

Chas Swearingen is a community liaison for Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center. He obtained his Master’s in Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois- Springfield and has worked exclusively in the mental health field for the last 11 years. He enjoys gardening, being outside, sitting in the sun, fishing, hiking and everything that is summer. Winter is a cold, dark hole. He lives in Carlinville, IL with his wife, their sons, a big brown dog and a cat which adopted them.

Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center is a standalone facility that provides psychiatric treatment to children and adolescents ages 3-17. We pride ourselves on dedicating compassionate mental health treatment that encourages personal growth and self-responsibility to youth. This including providing psychiatric treatment to children and adolescents that present a broad range of behavioral and psychiatric disorders. We’ve created a therapeutic and supportive environment that allows us to work with our youth and their family to accomplish their goals.

Some of our promotes that helps to aid in us supporting our patients are our inpatient and outpatient services, as well as our telehealth. Located in Springfield, Illinois our facility has a welcoming and atmosphere that consistently promotes the healing of children. To schedule a no-cost assessment or for more information, please call 217-585-1180.