Autumn depression, or seasonal depression, is the tendency for some people to feel anxious and moody during the fall months, unlike other depressive feelings that often do not have a clear external trigger or specific time when they occur. Some may think that the reasons for feeling this type of depression may be a state of tension looming in relation to this season, or perhaps regret for not achieving the desired goals during the past period. Many do not realize how depressed they can be in the fall, and may not even realize it, because they think that it is caused by life situations or something else. However, when noticing its recurrence every year in the same period; It will become apparent, and a person can take steps to prevent it.
Here’s to you through my site on the symptoms, causes, and ways to deal with fall depression, in the next topic.
Autumn depression symptoms
Autumn depression is manifested by a set of symptoms, such as:
Feeling sad or down for most of the day or nearly.
Loss of interest in activities you previously enjoyed.
Lack of energy, feeling lethargic and difficulty sleeping for long periods.
Suffering from carbohydrate cravings, overeating and weight gain.
difficulty concentrating
Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt.
Causes of autumn depression
One environmental cause of depression is low sunlight. This leads to a decrease in serotonin levels, which plays an important role in influencing mood, appetite and the nature of sleep, and an increase in the hormone melatonin, which makes a person feel sleepy and depressed. Some physical and psychological disorders also occur in the fall as a result of changing weather, such as vitamin D deficiency due to lack of exposure to sunlight. It does not end here, but there are other causes such as behavioral changes; Less time is spent outdoors and more isolation due to changing weather.
How can you overcome autumn depression?
Follow these steps to beat depression:
1- Get more light
You can start by spending more time outdoors to make the most of the available sunlight. You can also do this by getting up early to enjoy the morning sun.
2- Do exercise every day
Autumn is a great time to enjoy the outdoors; So take advantage of that by taking a walk, biking, or joining a gym.
3- Start something new
Autumn is the time for new beginnings. One can put aside what might be bothering him and start having fun, trying different activities and discovering his hobbies.
4- Think about it again
Instead of associating autumn with negative experiences, you can try to look at it differently by reframing feelings and events. For example, humans focus too much on loss and the general atmosphere of autumn may remind them of the loss of sunlight and the cheerful colors of summer; This makes them feel negative feelings again, so try to think of what you can do in the fall. Instead of thinking it’s cold and you’re stuck inside, you can try thinking about feeling warm inside, do what makes you feel comfortable and enjoy the time, like watching a movie with a hot drink. There are other ways like changing the environment of your home with different decor pieces that make you feel happy and feel good about yourself.
5- Seek medical help
Seasonal affective disorder is primarily associated with depression. So if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and unable to get over it on your own; It is best to consult a specialist, and do not wait for things to go wrong. If you start to feel anxious and depressed. You must take immediate measures to improve your mood, the most important of which is to consult a psychiatrist to help you get through this stage.
