Depression comes in many forms: situational, atypical, chronic, seasonal, etc.< /p>
Seasonal affective disorder, SAD, seasonal depression, and even the beautiful phrase «winter blues» — all these are names for a not very good state: waves of longing, sadness and indifference to real life that covers us in winter. How to identify signs of winter depression and how to overcome itFor more than two years, the whole world has been waiting for the end of the pandemic and is carefully listening to the opinions of experts regarding when this will happen. They call different dates: 2022, 2023, 2024… It seems that a little more, and we will all breathe a sigh of relief. But in the shadow of the pandemic, there are many other diseases that are not only not going to give up their positions in the near future, but are also slowly winning more and more space for themselves in clinics, prescription directories and statistical reports.
Thus, according to the World Health Organization, by 2030, depressive disorders will become the main cause of health deterioration in the world. And before that time comes, it is important to learn to understand both the nature of this disease and the factors that hinder its development.
Depression takes different forms: situational, atypical, chronic, seasonal, etc. Since there is still one and a half winter months ahead, we will talk about seasonal depression. Developing in early autumn, by the end of winter it reaches its peak, and therefore in the near future it may become a factor in the deterioration of the health of many people.
What is seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in its milder form is known as the winter blues. But despite its romantic name in English (translated as «winter blues»), seasonal affective disorder has the potential to escalate in the presence of serious triggers. How can you tell if depression is the result of a deterioration in well-being, both mental and social?
List of symptoms of depression
- sweet cravings and weight gain
- feeling very tired and lack of energy
- feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt
- low self-esteem
- irritability
- bad sleep
- and, of course, more extreme manifestations.
Threshold between soft form «winter blues» and more serious forms of seasonal affective disorder, it is important not to overstep. Therefore, you need to know what indicators indicate that a person is already on the verge of a breakdown. One of the indicators that we are already entering the tunnel space of transition is the lack of will to resist and the cessation of the struggle to normalize our mental health.
On the verge of depression, there are three main scenarios:
- turning on the instinct of self-preservation and, as a result, activating the will
- further weakening of the will and being drawn into more radical forms of depression
- turning on and activating the will with relatives (friends, relatives, etc.) who by force, wisdom and something else do not allow to cross this threshold
Prevention of seasonal depression
If someone has experienced severe manifestations of seasonal depression, of course, the best solution would be to contact specialists. However, there are a number of simple, but at the same time effective ways in which you can restrain the development of the disease in the initial stages. At the same time, it is important to observe one condition: you need to not only read about them, but also put them into practice.
Turn on the light: lack of sun provokes winter depression
Of course, the lack of sun and vitamin D is the main factor that provokes winter depression. The lack of sunlight can be compensated by artificial sources. And even consider the light as a litmus test of your mental state: if you are psychologically comfortable, and in low light it does not pull you to turn on the light, you are all right. But if you experience psychological discomfort for a long time, heaviness, apathy, despair and other symptoms of depression, but darkness is an acceptable and predominant environment for your existence, this may indicate the launch of depressive mechanisms.
Go outside more often < p>Another important factor contributing to the development of seasonal depression is a long stay in enclosed spaces. The lack of fresh air, with which we are so pampered in summer and spring, negatively affects the work of all organs. The body turns on the economy mode, which is reflected in the mental state of a person. Therefore, winter depression is considered a temporary phenomenon — with the beginning of spring and a gradual increase in sunlight and exposure to fresh air, the body starts the reverse processes. The saving mode is turned off and a greater amount of psychic energy becomes available to a person.
Going outside in winter, even when you don’t feel like doing it, is one of the main recipes for preventing depression. And here it is important to remember that in order to enslave the will of a person, depression uses the same trick as with light. A person who falls into a depressed state loses the desire to do what would be useful for his psyche: turn on the light, go outside, move.
Move more
In the cold season, we go out less often, and so we move less. However, movement is a fundamentally important mechanism for maintaining health.
Muscle contraction acts like a pump that helps fluid move through the body. And since the lymphatic system is a central part of the immune system, lack of movement impairs its function. A weak immune system leads, of course, not only to colds. Colds are something that quickly and easily appears on the surface. Weak immunity, among other things, does not respond to the first encroachments of depression on the human psyche.
Therefore, try to find an acceptable movement mechanism — dancing, running, long walks — and push the immune system to perform its functions.
> Chat more
Communication is one of the first assets that depression takes away from a person. And to the reluctance to turn on the light, move, go out, etc. added unwillingness to maintain contact with others. Especially if they acted as a kind of trigger for depressive processes. Finding or restoring a comfortable social circle is very important for the dynamization of psychic energy.
Depression grows out of the stagnation of an unfavorable psychological state, a fixation that is difficult to overcome. Communication, in turn, takes a person out of the illusory world of despair and hopelessness, into which depression imperceptibly plunges him.
Review your diet: vitamin D will help overcome depression
It is advisable for any person to stick to a seasonal diet and know what types of products compensate for excess heat, cold, moisture, etc. In particular, to prevent winter depression, experts advise eating foods high in vitamin D: fish, egg yolks, mushrooms, cheese, etc. Foods fortified with vitamin D are also suitable: milk, juices and cereals.
For the prevention of depression, fish is the first assistant. And if buying grainy caviar is too expensive for you, then pay attention to herring, rich in vitamin D. And in extreme cases, resort to fish oil, the content of vitamin D in which is almost 10 times higher than in any other product.
We hope that following these simple tips will help you approach the spring of 2022 in a cheerful state of mind. And if they become your habitual way of life, the forecast of the World Health Organization for 2030 will bypass you. Health to all!