The SAD Struggle Is Real

            I can feel it already: that sluggish grog that follows me past the end of Daylight Savings Time. The days start to get shorter, colder, and darker. And I’m not a fan. At some point in my adult life, the seasonal stuff started to affect me more. I completely believe in SAD: “Seasonal Affective Disorder.” I’ve seen it affect all kinds of people. My grandmother has advanced Alzheimer’s Disease, and I’ve seen it affect her. People with dementia often seem more sluggish and depressed during the winter months. Those who struggle with anxiety and depression may find themselves wondering if their medication is still at the right levels during winter months.

            I know some people who don’t believe in this at all. They love winter and everything about winter: the cold, the dark, and the holidays. Some of my friends are so much happier being cold than hot (Me? If we could actually have a fall or a spring with 60-70 degrees, I’d be in a happy spot). Boots and scarves are awesome, and I do love both of those things. But what I totally dislike is the early dark. And being too cold.

            So because I know this about myself, I have to make a conscious effort to go into the winter months with a plan. Maybe something on this list will help you, too, even if you don’t believe that SAD is a real thing (it is a real thing. Mayo clinic says so. In fact, Mayo Clinic says, and I quote, from their website, “Don’t brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the ‘winter blues’ or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own. Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year.”)

1)      Talk to people. I have a hard time finding an answer when people say, “What do you need?” When my husband wants to know how he can help me with something, I have a hard time knowing what to tell him. Counselors are wonderful people. You might already be seeing a counselor or a spiritual director, and kudos to you for that, but you might not be. If you aren’t seeing a counselor, find a trusted friend you love who loves you and can walk through the winter months with you. Sometimes people get afraid to really tell their friends the truth about how they’re feeling. “My friends don’t have enough counseling classes under their belt to listen to me” I’ve heard people say. But your friends love you! Your spouse loves you. Trust them with the truth. They sense it anyway and take it from someone who knows: it takes a lot more energy to hide emotions than to be honest. Hopefully you also have a pastor in your life that you trust. Because I know firsthand how SAD feels, I can sit with you and just let you have space to name the feeling. Sometimes, that’s all I need: permission to admit that SAD is upon me.

2)      Get a hobby. Sometimes when the SAD is really strong, the last thing I want to do is…anything. But when I push myself off the couch and into my sewing room, it does actually lift my mood. Quilting takes my brain into a place that can focus on something other than the cold.

3)      Move. Don’t move as in “pack boxes and move somewhere sunny and warm where you don’t have to deal with SAD” (Although that could be a viable option). Physical movement releases those “feel-good endorphins” that literally make you feel better. In my house, I have flights of stairs and a round pathway that goes through the dining room, through the kitchen, and into the hallway before ending up back in the dining room. It might be too cold to go outside and walk around the block, but I can walk around my own “mini block” a few times while I listen to a podcast on my phone. If you don’t belong to a gym, maybe you can go to the mall early in the morning and walk the mall. You’ll find lots of other people who have found their tribe walking the mall in the morning before all the parking spaces get taken up by people doing their holiday shopping.

4)      Get light. If the sun is out, force yourself to go outside and feel it. Even if you stand in the sunlight for ten seconds, that ten seconds of vitamin D can make a lot of difference. I’ve heard of and seen but never tried the phototherapy boxes that mimic natural light, but anything you can do to experience natural light can help. Get as much light as you can as often as you can.

5)      Practice mindfulness. The other day I baked cookies while I colored in my adult coloring book. It was so relaxing and it didn’t actually cost me anything because I baked cookies based on ingredients I had on hand. Plus, when I was done, I had delicious cookies with hot cocoa. Doing something that relaxes your mind can help offset negative vibes. You can do a jigsaw puzzle or pray through the Psalms. Try new recipes. Listen to music that cheers you up and avoid the kind of music that makes you feel angry or depressed. Write in a journal and make it a point to spend each day naming five things you’re grateful for that day. Do something that focuses your mind.

6)      Stay off screens. At least a little bit. Block out times when you are not allowed to go on social media. And if you do go on, check only to see if you have any alerts or messages. Don’t scroll. I find that sitting on my couch scrolling through social media actually makes my seasonal stuff worse. My goal this winter is to cut the amount of time I spend on social media in half. I’m well on my way with this thanks to the social media detox I did. Social media isn’t a bad thing: but too much of anything can bring you down.

Above all, remember that the brain is a delicate thing. If you’ve experienced major stresses or depression, know that you’re not alone. Take signs and symptoms of SAD seriously, and please please please talk to someone if you have thoughts about hurting yourself or someone else. You are not alone. The truth is, this may be something you need to talk to your doctor about, and that's okay, too!

Hopefully something on this list helps you, especially if you’re like me and need a little extra help navigating the winter months. I own this about myself because I’ve had to. As I said, it’s a lot more exhausting to mask what you’re feeling than to be honest. There is absolutely no shame is owning what you’re feeling. We’re meant to feel things. If you need someone who gets it who can sit with you through it, please reach out to me. Know that you are loved and you are accompanied on this journey.

So don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you. -Isaiah 41:10