Getting Help for SAD and January Depression

If you've tried the tips we've been talking about this week and nothing seems to help, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or a clinical depression. Consult your physician or a specialist in psychological disorders for constructive input about these conditions.

A diagnosis of SAD may be made when your mood, energy level and motivation are all down during the winter months. Several techniques can help you cope with this disorder: (1) get out into the sun, preferably for at least one hour per day of natural light; (2) keep your home window coverings open to the light and your office well lit; (3) if your symptoms continue, your physician may prescribe photo therapy with a special light, typically for an hour a day.

If your despair continues, or you have the signs and symptoms of clinical depression, see a psychologist or psychiatrist for evaluation and treatment. You will benefit from a professional's input as you learn to challenge your negative thoughts and gain skills to manage your feelings. Your doctor can discuss with you whether antidepressants will be of assistance in your treatment plan.

For more information about coping, click on the post title above to be linked to our website, www.HerMentorCenter.com and How to Manage Depression Short of Having Octuplets. And plan to stop by next week as we go over the steps for creating a set of realistic New Year's resolutions that you and other Sandwiched Boomers can achieve.

Do You Have the January Blues?

Feeling down in the dumps now that the holidays are over? If you're hoping for something uplifting on these dreary days and cold nights, you're not alone. T.S. Eliot may have said in The Waste Land that "April is the cruelest month," but studies have found that for the majority of Americans January is the most depressing month of the year, with the 24th being the worst day.

You may have experienced several of the reasons for these negative feelings and behaviors yourself. Your eager anticipation for the holidays is over, possibly replaced by the realities of a celebration that didn't live up to your expectations. Your clothes are tight from the extra pounds you put on from parties and your sweet cravings. Your loved ones are gone and you're feeling disillusioned and lonely. The weather is dreary with little chance of a break for several months. By the end of the first week of January, one-third to one-half of you have already caved in on your New Year's resolutions, leaving you feeling disappointed and frustrated. The credit card bills have arrived and you realize you spent more than you had planned. And while you may not have noticed the short days and long nights in December because of all the holiday lights, now it is painfully obvious that winter is clearly here.

For some 10% to 20% of Americans, winter depression is exacerbated by SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is brought on by the reduction in sunlight and the brain's response to this underexposure. For Sandwiched Boomers, stressed between caring for growing children and aging parents, these extra pressures may be an even greater strain this month.

Tune in all week for tips to help you deal with the January gloom and focus on the opportunities open to you. And click on the post title above to take you to our website, www.HerMentorCenter.com, and the article, 6 Ways to Manage Common Unhappiness. It will give you some techniques to get started.