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Finding light in October: coping with the winter blues
By Michele Harman, LCSW
UAS Counselor
Quite recently,
the brightness of summer has given way to darkness and rain. We
feel compelled to naturally slow down our pace, and settle in for
the coming winter months.
Life in Southeast Alaska demands that we adjust ourselves to the
change in temperature and light as winter approaches. Yet the daily
tasks of life continue even after the bears begin to hibernate.
We have to be at work or school on time, complete our homework;
we have to take care of our families and ourselves all the while
trying to adjust our bodies to the changes in our environment.
For certain people, it feels almost impossible to make
that adjustment at this time of year. They feel depressed, irritable,
and anxious. They can’t focus, have no energy, and sleep a
lot more. They lose interest in sex, crave sweets and/or alcohol,
and gain weight. For some, there are even thoughts of suicide. It
becomes hard to believe that in March, these symptoms will diminish
a great deal or go away all together. This form of depression is
called, “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD.
What causes a kind of depression that usually goes away
in spring? Most researchers agree that the answer lies in the effects
of diminished sunlight on our bodies and minds. According to the
National Institute of Mental Health, women are 4 to 5 times more
likely than men to experience this phenomenon. The NIMH estimates
that 35 million Americans are affected by diminished sunlight. The
research surveyed agrees that there is a relationship between latitude
and “susceptibility” to this type of depression. Less
than 1percent of the general population in Florida is affected,
while in Alaska, the percentage of people may be as high as 10 percent
(NIMH).
The NIMH suggests these initial steps to cope with SAD
on your own:
l•Make your house bright. Keep the curtains open. Use bright
colors on the walls and upholstery.
l•If you work in an office, ask to work near a window.
l•Try to go on vacation to a sunny warm place
l•Exercise outdoors. Skiing is a great way to get lots of light.
If you exercise indoors, try to do so near a window.
l•Eat healthy foods
l•Keep stress levels down
There are other methods to deal with the winter blues if the above
don’t help:
l•Use of broad -spectrum lights in fixtures at home and work.
lUse of light therapy: a special light-generating box that repli
cates natural sun.
l•Talk to a doctor or counselor to see if a combination of
light therapy, medication, or counseling will help.
It is important for those who are experiencing these
symptoms to seek help from a counselor if life begins to become
unmanageable. There are other forms of depression that are more
serious and difficult to get over, and this may need to be evaluated
by an objective person who is trained to look at the whole picture.
There will be a light box therapy demonstration on Wednesday,
October 30 from 11:30 to 12:30 in the cafeteria. Help for SAD and
other problems we face is just a phone call away! Don’t suffer
alone! Confidential, no-cost, short-term counseling is available
to students at UAS. To make an appointment with Michele Harman,
LCSW, call 465-1298 or 465-6547 or email Michele at michele.harman@uas.alaska.edu
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