SAD for A Season

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Seasonal Depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Seasonal Depression, also called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a type of depression. It’s triggered by the change of seasons and most commonly begins in late Fall. Symptoms include feelings of sadness, lack of energy, loss of interest in usual activities, oversleeping and weight gain. Treatments include light therapy, talk therapy and antidepressants.

You can read more about Seasonal Depression through this link from the Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9293-seasonal-depression

Seasonal Depression is a – Fleeting Feeling – Growing up, “melancholy” was my favorite word that described this feeling. It reminded me of a yellow jelly bean that a loved one would give me on a misty day as I stood in the middle of the road, sucking on the sweet, watching them walk away without knowing it would be the last time I would watch them; The bean being the last remnants of joy as it slowly melted in my mouth~ the feeling of dread and bitter-sweet sadness washed over me, ever so softly. It was more comforting than anything…

As we get ready for a darker Winter with less daylight and more time feeling “under the weather,” here are a few things to remember to do to maintain a healthy mind, body, and soul during this season… The first being knowing you are not alone.

Practice Compassion

• Hang out with friends – whether it’s for game night or to catch up, enjoy your friend’s company (bonus points if you make new friends!)

• Check in on loved ones

• See how you can help yourself in simple ways

Seek to the Stars that Shine on you 

• Go outside!

• Get sunlight – feel the sun on your skin as much as you can

• Breathe in fresh air – take a walk outside and feel the temperature difference day to day in your environment.

 Monitor your Mind 

• Slow down – it may not feel like that is entirely possible but find the moments in between tasks to breathe

• Move your body! – it’s easy to go in hibernation mode so get at least 30 minutes of movement each day

Thanks for reading! Please check out the information below and have a great day! Feel free to reach out to us at dalenewsfsc@gmail.com

Dale News Online Publication: November 2022

“In Passion We Trust”