Rosina Linz, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, treating patients in the areas of depression and anxiety. Her practice is located at the Mississippi Medical Plaza in Davenport, Iowa.
Don’t think for a moment that frustrations over seasonal change are all in your head. The shortage of light in the winter can affect our hormonal balance, contributing to the wintertime blues. We may feel low on energy, irritable, experience sleeplessness, and have reduced interest in social activities.
Davenport-based psychologist, Rosa Linz, Ph. D.
There is a growing body of research suggesting that bright light stimulation does have a significant impact on the functioning of the human brain. And it appears that maintaining normal levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin and melatonin has come to rely, in part, on getting a certain amount of bright light stimulation each day.
Winter’s changes can affect our mood and how we feel. Some people become more depressed due to lack of light. In addition to the shorter days, winter blues may result from failed expectations of the holidays, the inability or lack of motivation to stay active, or frustration with the cold weather.
There are opportunities that winter offers us to stave off the dreaded short, dark, blustery season. We need to become more conscious of the change of seasons and prepare our body and spirit for the coming year. We need to move from resistance to acceptance of winter and pay more attention to our natural world.
In the past, society was much closer to nature and we have moved away from that. We have gotten too busy doing other things in our lives and forgotten the important role nature plays in our well being.
As the natural world comes to rest at some point, so can we, yet we tend to resist it. It’s time we all learned to embrace winter, and seek the solace, rest and rejuvenation these cold winter days are giving us. Soon enough we will be ready to enjoy spring with a renewed spirit for the coming year.
Know the difference between the blues and depression
Winter blues, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression are a continuum based on how severe a person’s ability is to function. Winter blues consists of decreased energy, irritability, increased desire to sleep, and reduced interest in social activities. SAD is more related to the time of year. In most cases the episodes begin in fall or winter and remit in spring. Symptoms may include sleeping too much, overeating, weight gain, and craving carbohydrates.
Clinical depression is the severest form and its cluster of symptoms last much longer than the winter blues or SAD. Symptoms can include but are not limited to: mood changes (sadness, intense irritability, feeling easily frustrated); lowself-esteem (feelings of worthlessness, lack of self-confidence);extreme negative thinking, including pessimism, a bleak viewof the future; thoughts of hopelessness, thoughts about
suicide, brooding, worrying and fretting. There is also oftena marked change in physical functioning including: sleep disturbances, fatigue, loss of sex drive, and a change inappetite and weight.
Do you need help?
If your depression is seriously interfering with work, school, or significant personal relationships, or there are marked changes in physical/biological functions, you should seek professional counseling. Other red flags include alcohol or drug use that has been escalating or is hard to control, or if you have been experiencing serious thoughts about self-harm or suicide. A general rule of thumb: if self-help approaches are pursued for more than one month and you fail to see noticeable improvements in depressive symptoms, it’s time to seek professional counsel.
