Seasonal Deppression
White Sands Counseling Center would like to welcome you back
to Therapy Blog Spot, Article 2. The co-founders of White Sands Counseling have joined together to write an article about seasonal
depression. Sometimes it is hard to
separate seasonal from other types of depressions. If you are
struggling with depression and are unsure what to do, we are here to help.
Visit our website at www.whitesandscounseling.com
and fill out our "Therapy Page" Questionnaire or click here. We will get back to you as soon as we can. Depression can
be serious if untreated. Whatever you’re going through, we will work with you
to make sure you’re taken care of. Thank
you for stopping by and please enjoy our free tips on how to combat seasonal
depression.
Therapy Blog Spot
Seasonal Depression
Written By:
White Sands Counseling
Center
It’s the holiday season again. We must endure all of the joy being spread
and family gatherings and sharing and giving and…. Can we just go back to our
normal lives? Sometimes it feels like we
are on the outside of the winter wonderland happy window looking in. We may
have just lost someone or lost someone in the past during this season, maybe we
just broke up with someone, we are short on cash, we are worried about how we
are going to put gifts under the tree, or we are just overwhelmed with the
holidays in general; the onset of seasonal depression is amongst us. Sometimes
all we want to do is anything but be happy during this time of year.
What can we do about seasonal depression? Here are a few
tips and ideas to get you through the holidays.
Seasonal depression and Grief
One of the biggest reasons for holiday Depression is a loss
of a loved one. Often time we miss someone that was irreplaceable this time of
year. Most of the time if that person
was still here, they would do anything to protect you from the grief and pain
you are experiencing. If they were here right now, they would want you to enjoy
the holiday festivities instead of feeling sadness and grief. We challenge you,
choose to Honor that person instead of being sad. We certainly aren’t saying mourning
shouldn’t happen, but even in a time of grief, try doing something to honor
your loved one. We would like to share a story with you that is a great example
of honoring a loved one’s life instead of mourning their loss. One of our
clients lost their father years ago. This family never really coped with the
loss of their dad, rather swept it under the rug and moved on. This brought many feelings including
suppressed anger and frustration, but mostly sadness and grief for the kids
that were expected to move on without looking back. Many years later after thinking about
honoring their loved one they were asked the same question we are asking you
now, “What healthy/enjoyable event or thing did you remember about your loved
one that made them happy?” Our client said
her Father loved cars. After speaking with us, this client decided to honor
their father by going to antique car shows at least once a year. After the first
season, the family decided they would honor their father through his love of
cars. They started going to car shows, local events and decided to buy a new
car ornament and add it to their collection each year. Honoring him is
remembering his life in a caring way and keeping a part of him alive in their
own hearts and keeping them connected with other people. This activity helps
the family keep the holiday grinch away.
Have a Network
Sometimes all we want to do when we are sad is nothing. We
don’t want to go, don’t want to talk, just don’t want to do anything but stay
home. Having a network of at least 2 people around the holidays can really go a
long way. By having at least two people in your network you will have people that
can listen. They may even be able to drag you out of your funk. This is one of
the most important aspects of shaking the holiday crud. Make the effort to talk
to one or more of these people every day this season because having someone to
talk to is more helpful than you may have thought. These people may give you
insight into point of views that you may not have thought of before. The
thought of being alone may feel like the best choice because you would rather
binge watch Netflix and eat snacks. Consider asking a friend to join you, share
some snacks and cheer up with movies or funny stories of the past holidays. After all, your friends may need you as much
as you need them. So, ask a couple of
friends or family members to stay close this season.
Connect with
your community
Most communities are full of people just like us. Many communities are made up of people that may
be less fortunate than you. By engaging
in your community, you can help others that need something and being present in
the moment can really take your mind off any issues you may be having. Maybe look up some community activities or
volunteer at your Church or donate to children’s’ programs. In our small communities,
there may be several free classes to learn something that you may like. You might
also look for support groups that instead of forgetting about your problems,
you can openly share to people with similar struggles. Trusting someone while we are most vulnerable
is one of the hardest but most rewarding actions we can do in developing any
positive relationship. If you’re not ready to take a step towards
vulnerability, try helping others in need.
Look up your local soup kitchens in town and volunteer to help feed
people. Sometimes helping people that
are in less fortunate situations can help us reflect and be grateful for the
things we have.
Be kind to yourself
and your body
There are so many ways for us to shake the feeling of
seasonal depression. If you need help finding more ways, please give us a call,
email us, or fill out our questionnaire and we will get back to you as soon as
we can. If you enjoyed reading this, please
re-post on social media, or share the link with a friend in need. White Sands Counseling Center would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas.
Thank you for taking the time to check out Therapy Blog Spot, sponsored by White Sands Counseling Center.
www.whitesandscounseling.com
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