Yes, everyone at some point or other ‘has the blues’. (It beats me why it is called blue, rather than grey. Besides, I quite like the Blues, as in music.) It is not uncommon to feel ‘blue’ when Winter is upon you. The days are getting shorter, you leave the house in the dark and return when darkness has set in. During the day you hardly see the sun or you are not able to take advantage of daylight.
On top of that, the time change can seriously affect people who have a sensitive body clock. The inner sleep-wake cycle can become pretty disturbed. Honestly, I don’t understand why we haven’t cancelled this whole stupid Daylight Savings Time already! It influences my hormone balance, sleep-wake cycle and what-not. Why can’t they leave the time alone?! It would save me, and countless others, a lot of hassle. Let’s start a protest group…
Ok, joking aside, it does upset the system. It takes time to get used to the coming of Winter, especially in countries where daylight is cut short the most. So, feeling blue for a while is nothing to be worried about.
But when does it turn into being depressed or having S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?
Signs of depression
This list contains most of what you experience when you feel depressed and not just blue. The symptoms must last longer than two weeks to become officially a ‘depression’.
- Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” feelings
- Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and/ or helplessness
- Irritability or restlessness
- Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable
- Fatigue and decreased energy
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions
- Insomnia, early morning wakefulness or excessive sleeping
- Overeating or appetite loss
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
- Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not ease, even with treatment
No, you don’t need to suffer from all af them! But if you can tick of a fair amount, it might be worthwhile to explore it further for your own health benefit.
SAD (got tired of punctuation)
SAD is in actual fact a sub-category of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It has to occur at the same time every year and a minimum of two years in a row. It also affects those having Bipolar Disorder (BD). According to the DSM, the psychiatrists bible, SAD does not stand on its own.
I might disagree. But then, I am not a psychiatrist!
The reason why I say this, is that many people suffer from the blues or depression in some form or other during the darker times of the year. While it might not disturb your life enough to warrant a doctor’s visit (in your thinking) and a psychiatrist might not diagnose you, it doesn’t mean you have to silently suffer through it.
So, what can you do about it?
What I have discovered in the past several months is that having a strong routine and solid habits can keep you going when a depression hits. Of course it depends on the depth of the depression, sometimes it just kicks out your legs from under you. But all the same, refusing to discuss ‘if I should make by bed; do the dishes; hang up my coat; put away the laundry’ it with myself by just doing it, helps to keep an ordered and uncluttered house. This way the chaos and disorder is contained in my head. If my surroundings get cluttered and disordered, my anxiety rises exponentially. I don’t need no more of thát, honestly!!
Next post I give you a list of practical things you can work on during the good times, so you can fall back on it in the bad times.