Over the years, I have treated many anamur eskort kızlar persons for Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a common disorder in a State like Michigan when there are cold and overcast days in the Winter. I believe the following Question/Answer may be helpful to you or someone you love.
Question
I dread winter more every year. I get so down and lose so much energy. Poor concentration, feeling guilty, binge eating, sleeping every chance I get, always tired, lack of motivation, moodiness and being irritable is what I become. I’m there! I’m not like this during the rest of the year. At least bears get to hibernate and don’t torture themselves and others. I love to see people but now have no interest in seeing anyone. My family tries to be helpful but I can see they stay away from me when they can. What’s wrong with me and what can I do to change?
Answer
It appears you have what is commonly called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD. It is a seasonal depression that occurs generally between November and April in colder climates when days are short, clouds often are in the sky and the temperature is cold. In the Northern climates percentages of people are seen to range from approximately 3% to as high as 14%. This higher number probably also includes persons who get the Sub-Syndromal/Winter Blues and generally do not like winter but do not have the severe symptoms of major depression.
You have many of the classic symptoms of SAD: Lack of energy, sleeping all the time and still always being tired and run down, poor motivation, guilt for how you feel, eating too much, difficulty concentrating, irritable, little interest in social or daily activities. In a way, you are hibernating from your normal personality and life patterns. The lights have literally gone out for you emotionally.
As you are painfully aware, there is no doubt that SAD is a terrible depression that greatly impacts one’s life when one is experiencing it. Only recently has the general public come to understand it.
The following are some steps to take to help overcome your Seasonal Affective Disorder:
- Exercise and keep your body healthy. This will also help keep your mind sharp.
- Maintain a healthy and nutritious diet. You need to fight off food cravings.
- Consider the use of Light Therapy to replace the lack of sunlight. Increments of 15 minutes to a few hours are typical at different times of the day. Mimicking dawn can be done with a timed light that acts as if the sun is coming up in your bedroom.
- Counseling to help you be more productive and focus on the beauty of winter as well as helping you be out and about when your tendency, due to depression, is to sulk away in a dark corner of your home. It can help you develop your own overall multi-faceted program to end SAD once and for all.
- Dress warmly and walk outside in the cold when the sun is out to both get exercise and grab as much sun as you can get. This is an action too often overlooked by persons with SAD.
- Consider medication. Medications like Zoloft, Prozac and Welbutrin are often effective when prescribed for SAD. Talk to your family physician or psychiatrist as to what could be the most appropriate antidepressant to use.
- A complete physical also might help to eliminate any other problems that are causing your symptoms.
It is not unusual for persons with SAD to use one or more of the above suggestions at the same time. For example, counseling and medication would be a common combination.