Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects a lot of people, usually in the winter. There are a handful of tips and tricks to help manage this form of depression. An example is to increase Vitamin D intake. The best and cheapest form of Vitamin D is sunlight.
Recently my roommate moved. After living in the same apartment together for about a year, I am alone. The apartment is now quiet and I have had to adjust. I used to do everything with my roommate. We would cook dinners together, go shopping together, and watch tv on the couch at the end of the night. Now that I am alone in a city where I don’t know many people, I am relying on myself more. I am a social person and have noticed that I feel pretty lonely since they have left. I have tried to get outside and keep myself occupied but it just feels different.
I have been crushed by the weight of anxiety and trauma, as I’m sure many of you are familiar with. I’ve felt like I couldn’t possibly bear the weight anymore, unable to think, breathe, or function countless times. But I’ve been investing in my safety nets lately, like hugging myself, talking to friends and family, and doing my favorite hobbies which are always there for me.
With the coldness dwindling down, it’s easier to get our spirits up and be in a better mood now that nicer weather is on its way. However, it’s still a time when the weather is changing and you don’t know whether it’ll be nice out or we’ll get 5 inches of snow! The ending months of winter definitely feel the longest, so it’s important to stay positive until spring.
This past week, I experienced one of the darkest periods of my life which has left me in a pile of medical bills, lost friends, and rash behavior. It had been going off and on for years but was never bad enough to the point where it affected each and every part of my life negatively. I was not able to go to work, my friends were getting tired of my antics, and I lost way more than I ever could have imagined. As a result of this, I consulted a new doctor who told me the news: I had been misdiagnosed for years and was in fact bipolar.
I am newly graduated from college (this past May) and currently dealing with a change of life adjustments. This has been extremely challenging mentally for myself and I am sure many of you could relate to this. As my final chapter came to an end, I was excited for what was coming next in life.
Sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves. We often get so caught up in our everyday lives and pouring ourselves into others that we neglect ourselves. This neglect can lead to burn out and worsen our overall mental health and relationships. If we don’t show up for ourselves, how can we show up for others?
For the first time in a long time, I’m in a really good and healthy relationship with my current partner. As I am approaching Valentine’s Day, I think it’s important to not feel upset or self-pity at not dating or being in a relationship. Honestly, even just celebrating the day for self-love, or the good ole Galentine’s Day, would be ideal.
Do you find it harder to wake up in the mornings when it is cold outside and all you want to do is stay in your comfy bed? Do you find yourself grasping for any bit of motivation along the way in the mornings? A lot of people feel these emotions during the cold and sometimes dark winter months. We are used to a couple extra hours of daylight, more outdoor activities, and just more sun in general. How can we find the positives in the winter?
We’ve talked about expressing and writing down gratitude plenty of times before. No matter how big or how small, being able to name anything positive can have an impact on your mental health and wellbeing. Whether it’s being able to acknowledge the good things at the end of the day or being able to look back and read them if you’re feeling down, remembering that there are always good things that can happen, even when it doesn’t feel like it, and knowing there’s a light when things feel bleak can make the biggest difference.
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