About 14 percent of Americans suffer from it, but you don’t hear much about it.
Symptoms of this mood disorder are usually apparent in late autumn and typically last until the beginning of spring. Treatments are available from doctors or mental health professionals such as light therapy, psychotherapy, or medication.
When treating SAD, I have found that meditation and self-talk work the most effectively for me. To cope with the symptoms of this disorder, I need more than just extra light.
As we all experience SAD differently, I’d like to share with you how it affects me personally. I have lived in Denver, Colorado, since 1995. I am often asked why I haven’t adjusted to the cold.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, but I never experienced winter as a child. In my preteen years, my parents relocated our family to Puerto Rico. I lived in Florida for eight years after graduating college before moving to Colorado.
It was all new and exciting at the beginning. The fun ended, however, when temperatures fell below freezing (32 degrees). My mood and emotions were affected by Colorado’s overcast skies, snowy days, and darkness.
It was difficult for me to stay motivated during these days. In addition, I avoided getting out of the house as much as possible. Driving in the snow also panicked me. Every year, I felt less tolerant of winter weather.
However, the last 3 years have been spent trying to modify this behavior because, let’s be honest, winter in Colorado isn’t gonna go anywhere! Currently, I do not have the option of moving.
As soon as it began snowing, I started seeing winter’s beauty. My attention was drawn to the trees that looked beautiful beneath snow. Since I love fashion, layering clothing pieces to create a cute winter outfit motivated me to get out of the house. Last but not least, I started to enjoy the fresh, clean, cool air (fewer allergies, less pollen).
This is also the perfect time to meditate, relax, eat comfort foods, and curl up on the couch with a good book or movie. My goal for this year is to engage in more outdoor activities. Even though I’m not a skier, I’ve done snowshoeing in the past, so I wouldn’t mind trying it out again.
There may be days when all this does not help, and that’s OK. In those situations, supplements or medications can help. Since I’ve changed my attitude and thought patterns about winter, I have noticed that I have fewer down days each year.
I would like to conclude by saying that you should enjoy winter. If you need help discovering its beauty or coping, consult a professional. To determine the right medication or supplement for you, speak to your doctor. My own life has been transformed by changing my thoughts and attitude, and with each passing year, I learn to accept winter more and more
About 14 percent of Americans suffer from it, but you don’t hear much about it.
Symptoms of this mood disorder are usually apparent in late autumn and typically last until the beginning of spring. Treatments are available from doctors or mental health professionals such as light therapy, psychotherapy, or medication.
When treating SAD, I have found that meditation and self-talk work the most effectively for me. To cope with the symptoms of this disorder, I need more than just extra light.
As we all experience SAD differently, I’d like to share with you how it affects me personally. I have lived in Denver, Colorado, since 1995. I am often asked why I haven’t adjusted to the cold.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, but I never experienced winter as a child. In my preteen years, my parents relocated our family to Puerto Rico. I lived in Florida for eight years after graduating college before moving to Colorado.
It was all new and exciting at the beginning. The fun ended, however, when temperatures fell below freezing (32 degrees). My mood and emotions were affected by Colorado’s overcast skies, snowy days, and darkness.
It was difficult for me to stay motivated during these days. In addition, I avoided getting out of the house as much as possible. Driving in the snow also panicked me. Every year, I felt less tolerant of winter weather.
However, the last 3 years have been spent trying to modify this behavior because, let’s be honest, winter in Colorado isn’t gonna go anywhere! Currently, I do not have the option of moving.
As soon as it began snowing, I started seeing winter’s beauty. My attention was drawn to the trees that looked beautiful beneath the snow. Since I love fashion, layering clothing pieces to create a cute winter outfit motivated me to get out of the house. Last but not least, I started to enjoy the fresh, clean, cool air (fewer allergies, less pollen).
This is also the perfect time to meditate, relax, eat comfort foods, and curl up on the couch with a good book or movie. My goal for this year is to engage in more outdoor activities. Even though I’m not a skier, I’ve done snowshoeing in the past, so I wouldn’t mind trying it out again.
There may be days when all this does not help, and that’s OK. In those situations, supplements or medications can help. Since I’ve changed my attitude and thought patterns about winter, I have noticed that I have fewer down days each year.
I would like to conclude by saying that you should enjoy winter. If you need help discovering its beauty or coping, consult a professional. To determine the right medication or supplement for you, speak to your doctor. My own life has been transformed by changing my thoughts and attitude, and with each passing year I learn to accept winter more and more.
In the beginning, it was all new and exciting. But when temperatures dropped beyond my comfort which is below freezing (32 degrees), the fun was over. Although Colorado has more sunny days than any other wintery states, about 300, snowy days accompanied by overcast sky’s and darkness started to wear my mood and emotions.
During these days, I find myself feeling down and with low energy levels. And I avoid getting out of the house as much as possible. I also panic when driving in the snow. I feel each year I tolerate winter weather less so about 3 years ago, I started working at modifying this behavior because let’s face it, winter is not going away in Colorado! And moving is not an option for me at the moment.
On snowy days I started changing my thoughts to see the beauty in winter. I focused on how beautiful the trees looked with a white blanket of snow. I love fashion so layering clothing pieces to create a cute winter outfit gets me excited about getting out of the house. And finally, I started enjoying the fresh, clean, cool air (less pollen, fewer allergies for me).
This is also a good time to meditate, relax, eat comfort foods and curl up on the couch with your favorite book or to watch your favorite movies. Don’t forget to cuddle up with your loved one! This year I plan to do more outdoor activities. I’m not a skier but I’ve done snowshoeing in the past and it wouldn’t hurt to pick that up.
There are days that none of this works and it may be because there may be other things going on in my life. Those are the days that I may choose to take a supplement or medication to calm my senses to get me through the day. However, I’ve noticed that by changing my attitude and my thoughts the down days are fewer each year. Make sure you consult your physician for medications and the best supplement for you.
Lastly, enjoy winter. Find the beauty and comfort in it as much as you can either by using my suggestions above or seeking professional help. In my own life, it’s helped tremendously, and each year I’m learning how to make peace with winter.