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Natural Alternative Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder

By Laura Baker

Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) doesn’t have to mean relying on prescription anti-depressants to get through the long, cold winter. While prescription medication is helpful for many and necessary in some cases, natural, alternative treatment options can help you manage your disorder alone or act as a supplement to pharmaceutical treatment for better symptom management. You should always discuss your treatment regimen with your healthcare provider, but if you’re looking into alternative treatment options, here are a few to consider.

Treat Yourself to a Well-Timed Vacation

Sometimes, a little break from reality offers substantial relief from the depression and anxiety common in people struggling with SAD. If it’s in your budget, take a well-timed vacation and escape from the mundane aspects of daily life for a few days.

The key to making this technique work is to choose a sunny location destination, allowing you to spend a few glorious days basking in the bright, warm sunlight. Of course, a tropical vacation every winter may not always be in your budget. Fortunately, there are other options if hopping on a plane to the nearest tropical island won’t be happening this winter.

Give Light Therapy a Try

The shorter days in the winter – resulting in less exposure to natural sunlight – is believed to be one of the biggest contributing factors in the development of SAD. It only makes sense, then, that a technique such as light therapy can be an effective treatment option.

In fact, light therapy is one of the most common tactics used in the treatment of SAD, and it doesn’t involve medication. Instead, light therapy starts with just 10- or 15-minute sessions (though your doctor may recommend 30 minutes or more) of exposure to full-spectrum lights.

Commit to a Regular Exercise Program

Don’t feel like dragging yourself out of the house and braving the cold to get to your local fitness center? No problem. You need only a few essentials to equip a gym in the comfort of your home. Purchase a few tools such as a yoga mat, a set of dumbbells, kettlebells, a balance trainer, and a set of resistance bands to make getting a full-body workout as easy as walking down the hall. That said, if you find that you’re feeling a little cramped and isolated during winter weather and the roads are clear, finding a local indoor pool is a great exercise option. In addition to simply swimming laps, there are tons of great ways to get fit in the pool and taking a dip may give you the taste of summer you sorely need.

Consider Psychotherapy

SAD is caused by physiological disruptions (chemical imbalances in the brain), but that doesn’t mean that psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy) can’t be a viable treatment option. Many people with SAD fall into negative thought patterns and behaviors as a result of their disorder which only serve to exacerbate their symptoms. That’s precisely where psychotherapy comes in, offering patients help in shifting their thought patterns and breaking problematic behaviors for better symptom control.

Create an Environment That Brightens Your Mood

You may even be able to get some relief by creating the right environment in your home or office. Choosing certain color combinations, for instance, such as a color scheme including rich yellows, reds, and oranges, can have a mood-enhancing effect for some people. Eat a healthy diet with foods rich in these colors as well to reap the benefits of antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals.

You can swap out the lights in your bathroom, kitchen, and other areas of the home (and your office, too) for full-spectrum lighting options to give yourself a boost of exposure first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Finally, consider aromatherapy and essential oils for full ambiance. Jasmine, citrus oils such as lemon and orange, basil, lavender, rose, and geranium are just a few of the essential oils and fragrances believed to have antidepressant or mood-boosting effects.

Living with SAD doesn’t have to mean being depressed and anxious throughout the winter months. While medication is helpful and necessary for some people living with the disorder, there are a variety of natural and alternative options that can help you better manage your SAD, whether you’re supplementing or replacing prescription treatment options. Always discuss your treatment plans with your healthcare provider to ensure that you’re not experimenting with any treatments that could potentially be detrimental to your well-being.

Burn out-Confident Counseling Northborough Ma

Signs Of Burn Out

Signs of Burn Out and How to Fix It

Many people suffer from too much stress and often begin feeling helpless, exhausted, and very unhappy. These are all signs pointing to being burned out. In this state, things will often seem pointless and bleak and your energy levels will be at an all-time low. There is hope though, burn out is not the end all, be all.

What is Burn Out?

In the simplest terms, it is the state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion by too much stress for too long. If you have felt overwhelmed and like you are unable to keep up, you are at risk of becoming burned out. As your stress builds up, your energy and will to overcome it lessens. Your productivity and energy will be gone and you may feel depressed. Everyone has bad days here and there, but if every day feels like a bad day, you are probably suffering from being burned out.

What are the Signs of Burn Out?

Emotional Symptoms

If you have stopped even attempting to care about what you usually love doing or things that need done.
Instead of having one or two bad days every now and then, every day is a struggle that never seems to end.
Feeling helpless, having self-doubt, or feelings of being a failure.
Feeling trapped and defeated.
Suddenly feeling like nothing truly matters and emotionally and mentally detaching from the rest of the world.
Loss of will and motivation.
An increased bleak perspective on the world.
Decreased levels of joy, happiness, and pride.

Physical Symptoms

Feeling very fatigued the majority of the time.
Becoming sick more often than usual.
Lots of body aches and headaches.
Changes in appetite or changes to your normal sleep patterns.

Behavioral signs and symptoms of burnout

Ignoring responsibilities and procrastinating.
Removing yourself from others and staying in isolation.
Procrastinating or just not completing things because it takes too much energy.
Using things like food or drugs as a coping mechanism.
Using others to take your frustrations out on.
Deciding not to come into work, deciding to leave early or come in late just because you want to.

How Can I Fix Having Burn Out?

Use the “Three R” method to start dealing with your burn out problems.

The first step is to Recognize. You need to actually step back and recognize if you are suffering from being burned out.
The second step is to Reverse. You need to undo the damage that has been done by the mountain of stress. Manage the stress you’ve been dealing with and seek the support you need.
The third step is Resilience. Start taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental health to avoid any future burn outs.

There are also a few other ways to start your recovery from this mental state. Sometimes it is already too late to prevent this exhaustion and you have passed your breaking point. If you try to force yourself through it instead of taking the time you need, you will only make it worse.

Slow Down!

Once you’ve passed your breaking point, simply trying to force your attitude to change or looking after your physical health won’t be enough to fully bring you back. You need to take a break and let yourself calm down before you start trying to tackle anything else. Give your mind and body some time to rest and recuperate.

Get Some Emotional Support.

Don’t isolate yourself from the rest of the world, it won’t help. Your friends and family are going to be a very big part of your healing process and they will help you to get better. It can really and truly help to let someone else know how you’re feeling without expecting them to try to fix your problems. Make sure you are going to be talking to someone who knows how to listen and won’t automatically fault you for feeling the way you are.

Reevaluate Yourself.

When you’ve passed your breaking point, you know something in your life is not working the way it should. It is a good time to go over your goals and the things you have in life. Is there something you feel like you aren’t doing that’s making you unhappy? Take the time it takes to figure out what set you off.

Face Your Problems Head On.

You probably got way too stressed out because you were avoiding the problems in your life and not addressing them with a plan on how to fix them. Take the active route instead of the passive route in the future and you’ll begin to feel less helpless and more powerful in your everyday life.

Being burned out is a serious problem and it is one you should never be ashamed of. If you have felt helpless and trapped, take a step back and try to figure out why you’ve been feeling this way, then try to do something about it.

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Vitamin D Deficiency- The Secret Depression

Fall has officially started and for some of us, the leaves are changing and the nights are getting colder. The days are getting shorter and that means less sun exposure. Surprisingly, lack of sun can lead to medical problems that may mimic the symptoms of depression. I’m speaking about Vitamin D Deficiency- the secret depression.

This time last year I noticed that regardless of the number of hours I would sleep (sometimes 10+ on the weekends) I would still feel sluggish and exhausted. As a result of the fatigue I was irritable and had no interest in doing much of anything. It was physically painful getting up for work each morning that I ended up missing more days than I would have liked. At first glance you might think of depression but as a counselor I knew this was something else.

I immediately called my doctor and scheduled blood work tests. A couple of months later I received my lab results and found I had a Vitamin D Deficiency, specifically D3.

Here is a snippet from a MedicineNet.com article:

“Vitamin D is one of the four fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). There are two forms of vitamin D, D2 and D3. Vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol, comes from fortified foods, plant foods, and supplements. Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, comes from fortified foods, animal foods (fatty fish, cod liver oil, eggs, and liver), supplements, and can be made internally when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.” According to the vitamindcouncil.org and the Mayoclinic, there are several factors that can increase your risk of Vitamin D Deficiency such as where you live, skin color, and weight.

With my doctor’s guidance, I began taking my recommended vitamin and within a week I felt back to normal. I share this because it’s important to understand how underlying medical issues can imitate symptoms of mood disorders like depression. I definitely don’t suggest everyone stay out in the sun all day every day but I do recommend speaking with your doctor to rule out medical conditions for symptoms that appear to be mood disorders.

Ways To Feel Better Now

Looking for a pick-me-up? There are those days where it is so much easier to focus on the negativity in our life. “What isn’t working, how it could better if only this or that changed…” I dare you to try this quick exercise to get an instant boost of positive energy and feel better now.

Try any of these quick ways to feel better now.

1) Remind yourself that every thing you do is a choice.

2) For every negative thought you have replace with a blessing in your life (I can see and read this article with eyes that work) :p

3) Call up a positive person in your life

4) Get outside for some fresh air and sun

5) Release any physical tension you have by stretching and/or exercising (e.g. brisk walk)

For long-term or chronic symptoms please seek professional help.

Feel free to add your own quick ways to feel better now.

The Importance of Self-Care

“Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it’s about self-preservation.”-Audrey Lorde

Learning and implementing the importance of self-care can feel like a constant balancing act. How does one make time for oneself when one is constantly being pushed in all directions? Work, relationships, and commitments all demand our time given the limited hours in a day. Making the time to do something that fills you up emotionally, physically, and or mentally is vital to making sure you can pursue those other things without burning out. It is hard to say no to extra demands or to put yourself first without feeling selfish.

Often times, I find that moms struggle with finding this balance. They find themselves feeling angry and exhausted and inadvertently take it out on others around them. When asked to spend some time doing things they enjoy, they struggle with feeling like they need to sacrifice themselves for their family. Remember that finding time for yourself to replenish will not only benefit you, but everyone around you. In the case of a burnt-out mother, your children will thank you for it.

Look at it this way, if you don’t put your need to recharge first, then everything and everyone else will only receive a small percent of you, because you won’t have anything else to give. By taking time to rejuvenate, you are in essence doing everything and everyone else a favor. When you focus on your needs, you will be able to give back 100% to your other commitments and people in your life. What good are you tired, irritable, or angry because you chose to rank other activities and or people ahead of yourself?

I find reading a good book or taking a hot shower helps me recharge after a long day of work.

Here are some other self-care ideas:

Exercise
Eating healthy
Meditation
Sleep
Medical care
Keeping a journal
Counseling

What is your self-care?

Learning From Disappointment

Have you ever felt disappointed with how you didn’t react to a given situation? Have you ever stood by silently while an injustice took place, only to feel upset with yourself afterwards? I want to share a personal example in my learning from disappointment that happened recently.

A couple of weekends ago I was left feeling unsettled after attending a stand-up comedy show. The show was in Boston and I was going to see a comic that I had followed for a few years. At first, the routine and the atmosphere was fun and enjoyable. Then the comedian began making upsetting sexist and racist jokes including how he finds it funny that African-Americans have a glass ceiling because they have limited influence to cause serious harm to our society and that women shouldn’t get paid as much as men because of reasons that we cost men too much money.

At this point, the comedian pointed to the audience and asked for a rebuttal to his earlier claim about why he feels women should get paid less. It was in that moment that I found myself at a loss of words and unprepared for any intellectual debate. I instantly felt intimidated being in a venue surrounded by mostly intoxicated men. I also worried that I wouldn’t have the floor long enough to even have an intellectual conversation because the comic had the microphone and he had a show to do. Just as soon as the moment had started it had passed and I was left feeling shocked, upset, and disappointed with the comic and with myself.

The following day I replayed that scene over and over in my head thinking of all the comments I could have said and how possible scenarios could have played out. Needless to say, I struggled with the expectations I had and the reality that occurred.

I have since made my peace and realized that I learned several valuable lessons from this experience. I learned that I won’t always have the right words to say and that I may not feel brave all the time. I learned the need for kindness with myself when I fail to act. I learned that I can continue to support causes I believe in by way of donations, writing my blog, raising awareness around me, and by refusing to support those that oppose those causes (i.e. this particular comedian). More importantly, I understand that this it isn’t the last opportunity I will have to speak up and be heard.

Have you ever failed to speak up or act when you felt you should have? What did you learn from it and how has it affected your life?

Introversion and What It Looks Like

I believe that all human nature lies on a spectrum which includes everything from likes and dislikes, to personality traits and temperaments. By and large, humans are social creatures and we need each other to survive as a species. However, there is a difference in how much social interaction we each prefer and/or need. For those that lie close to the end of Introversion, it can be daunting to function in a world that seems to be made for extroverts.

If you know someone who is an introvert, it might feel confusion or frustrating when they become irritable in social situations or need to leave early. Let’s look at Introversion and what it is

Here is an image for those that like visuals.

As you see on this line, there is a spectrum going in each direction. There are people who lie closer to either end, and there are people who are closer to the middle. The closer you are towards the introvert end, the more likely you are to display the following traits:

Social Interaction

Has only a few close friends and are often mistaken for lacking social skills and being antisocial neither are true.
Does more listening than talking making them excellent listeners
Seems to be in their own world
Prefers to talk about deep conversations and dislikes “small talk”.
Tend to be quiet which is mistaken for shyness.
When introverts are tired, in a large group, or if too much is going on, they may show little animation, with little facial expression or body movement.
Need time to think before speaking

Social Preferences

Likes solitary activities, like reading, or activities with only a few people
Likes to spend time by themselves to “recharge”.
Tends to gravitate towards one on one interactions rather than being the center of attention even if it’s positive.
Prefers to have a plan when going out that is predictable and has an “exit” strategy

Emotions

May get irritable after spending a lot of time around other people
Feel emotionally drained after spending time with others, especially strangers.
Is more reserved about personal details
Highly sensitive to their environment and the emotions of other people
Introverts are also rather territorial. They dislike sharing space with others for too long and may find house guests intrusive.

Other Traits and Preferences

Introverts can concentrate intensely on a book or project for a long time if they find it interesting and like to explore subjects deeply and thoroughly.
Introverts are highly aware of their inner world of perceptions, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and feelings. They are also highly aware of their surroundings, noticing details that others don’t see.
Introverts also favor consistency over change, and cope with change best when they know ahead of time what to expect and have enough time to prepare for it.

If you are an introvert, it doesn’t mean that you display all of these traits, it just means there is a higher chance you do. Understanding yourself or your fellow introvert is the best way to accept and support yourself and others. The most important thing to realize is that we are all different and that being an introvert, extrovert, or in the middle comes with their own strengths.