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Season Affective Disorder Rears Its Head

Thursday, 3 December 2015 06:56

CMHA Oxford says if you're feeling down at this time of year, it might be more that just a passing thing.

OXFORD COUNTY - As the seasons change it can take a physical toll on your body but it can also impact your mind. 

2-3% of Canadians will suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder it can make you feel more tired and depressed. Social Worker with the Crisis Outreach team at Canadian Mental Health Association Oxford, Christie Kent, explains some of the reasons why this might happen. "There is a lot of activity this time of year for individuals and that tends to die down as the new year comes in, which is also an issue. We don't tend to be as physically active at this time of year, and also the lack of sunshine impacts people's mood and can negatively impact people's sleep."  

If you experience Seasonal Affective Disorder during the holidays you are not alone, and Kent spoke to Heart FM about some of the symptoms you might experience. "This time of year people tend to experience what we term as 'the winter blues.' So just feeling more tired and lethargic, and symptoms of that could be decrease in energy, oversleeping, difficulty concentrating, irritability, weight gain, and then increase in feelings of anxiety and despair."  

Kent provides tips on how to combat the winter blues. "I definitely have seen an increase at this time of year; we pick our friends but we don't pick our families. Those additional interactions and engagements with those individuals can create an additional level of stress at this time of year. I think one of the biggest things to advocate for at this time of year is to make sure our nutrition levels are up."  

Serious cases of depression at this time of year shouldn't be brushed off. If you feel overwhelmed you are encouraged to seek help at the CMHA office on Peel Street in Woodstock. There are also walk-in clinics around the county as well.

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