If you’re like me, the changing of the seasons is one of the best things in the world. It’s part of the reason I love living in the New England area. The leaves go from a deep green to fire reds, bright oranges, and amber yellows. The peak foliage is something of a spectacle that draws thousands to the area. There’s nothing quite like experiencing fall in the mountains – particularly in Berkshire County.

Fall is a magical time of year – even though everything is dying, it brings about a sense of vitality and vibrancy that is different from every other time of year. The air gets cooler, a little crisper, and it feels cleaner when it fills your lungs. It’s time for warm coffees, sweaters, apple picking and carving pumpkins. Kids are running around jumping into piles of leaves and throwing them into the air. It’s time again for hay rides and haunted houses. The holiday season is upon us.

Fall is without a doubt one of my favorite times of year. Like many others, I thrive in fall. However, for some it can be the start of a long tireless journey that can leave them feeling drained and filled with despair. The Mayo Clinic defines Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as “a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons”. It afflicts more than three million people every year in the US alone – though most cases are self-diagnosed.

Although our generation talks more openly about depression and anxiety, we’re not really addressing SAD. Why is that? It’s something that afflicts a huge number of people and yet most people haven’t ever heard of it. Sure it’s normal to feel down at times, but depression at any capacity is something that shouldn’t be ignored. People suffer from SAD due to chemical imbalances – typically a lack of sunlight leads to a disrupted internal clock, reduced serotonin levels, and creates a fluctuation in melatonin. These imbalances are what lead to symptoms of depression. SAD is a subtype of major depression – but differs in that it occurs with the changing of seasons – typically during the fall and winter seasons.

For most people, their journey with SAD begins in the fall and continues throughout the winter. For those of us who live in the northeast, the cold seasons can last for more than half the year – that’s an enormous amount of time that people can suffer the effects of SAD. Many of us suffer from ‘winter time blues’, but if those feelings persist, you could be suffering from SAD. Mental health is so important because it can directly affect your physical health.

Like other forms of depression, SAD can be treated with medications. However, there are also preventative measures one can take to offset the effects of SAD. From my experience continuously getting an ample amount of sunlight and fresh air tends to help a lot. Getting up out of a slump is a lot easier said than done; trust me I know, that is why it’s important to try to be positive. I am constantly reminding myself that I am not alone – and neither are you. Talk to someone, really listen to what others have to say, and start loving yourself; you’re worth it.

I’m not trying to generalize or offend anyone and I don’t claim to be an expert on depression. I simply want to present the facts of SAD and share what has worked for me.

For more information on SAD visit the Mayo Clinic.