Mental health can be a tough subject to discuss, yet it touches every aspect of our lives. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act, affecting our daily lives and relationships. According to Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults in America have a mental illness which is nearly 50 million Americans.
Whether you suffer personally from a mental illness, more likely than not you know someone who does. With the winter season fully in effect, seasonal affective disorder, or seasonal depression, is beginning to take its toll on those who are affected by it.
Mental Health America states that about 5 percent of Americans experience seasonal depression each year. It can be hard to navigate school, work, and mental health all at once. However impossible it may seem, it is possible to navigate it all.
For starters, realizing that you are suffering from seasonal affective disorder is only the beginning. Once you can identify the problem, you can work on how to deal with it.
Seasonal affective disorder symptoms include depression, anxiety, mood changes, sleep problems, lethargy, overeating, social problems, and sexual problems. If you have any of these symptoms you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder.
There are several coping mechanisms and treatments that can help alleviate the turmoil of having seasonal affective disorder. According to Mental Health America, Light therapy has been effective in up to 85 percent of cases.
Besides light therapy, antidepressants or talk therapy can also help treat seasonal affective disorder. In terms of coping mechanisms, the list is endless. Examples of a few coping mechanisms include: spending time with loved ones, listening to music, coloring, writing, journaling, going for a walk, self-care, exercising and the list goes on.
Finding the right coping mechanisms for you is simple trial and error. What works for one person may not work for another. It is also completely normal to outgrow coping mechanisms. When that happens, you just need to look for new ones.
With the shortened days, comes a lack of sunlight which does not help seasonal depression. I recommend taking advantage of the daylight hours we have during the day. Nature in general can be a great way to cope with seasonal depression.
Also, make sure to prioritize self-care during this time. Being in college, it can be easy to forget the importance of self-care. The reality is, that you can’t perform your best academically if you are not attending to your personal needs physically and mentally. College is important but do not sacrifice your mental well-being for a deadline.
The most important thing to remember is to give yourself grace. Be kind to yourself no matter what. No one is perfect and it is okay to struggle.
Trying your best does not have to look the same every day. Most days it will look completely different than the days before. Some days may feel impossible and some may feel easy. What matters most is that you show up every day and try.
So, if you are suffering from seasonal depression know that you are not alone. You have survived so many seasons to make it to where you are now. Know that whatever season you are in right now will pass and that better seasons have yet to come.
Sources: https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad https://mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-adult-data#:~:text=Adult%20Prevalence%20of%20Mental%20Illness%20(AMI)%202022&text=19.86%25%20of%20adults%20are%20experiencing,Jersey%20to%2026.86%25%20in%20Utah.