We are now in the month of december, the last month of the year before we start another year anew. During this time we spend time focusing on gift giving or charities to donate our time to before we settle down for the last couple of days to reflect on the year and think on what we want to do differently in the next. This is practically tradition for humanity at this point that we have very little care for anything else. But today I wanted to bring something to the attention of my readers that I hope they would have some understanding of. Today we will be talking about Seasonal Depression; also known as SAD or seasonal affective disorder; and why it is important to keep in touch during the end of the year holidays.

SAD is a type of depression that mainly goes into effect during specific seasons. The most common season this takes place in is during the winter for a plethora of different reasons including holidays reminders about loved ones, colder weather or days becoming shorter. It is important to note that SAD can occur during the summer as well, the winter season is the most common.

With this in mind, why should you care about this disorder? It is something that doesn’t last that long and everyone gets stressed out during the holidays. While yes it is true, it tends to be only seasonal so for those who suffer from other mental illnesses or different variations of depression it would seem relatively simple and it is true that the winter months tend to be stressful for all, SAD is not something to take likely. Symptoms are similar to general depression and because of the similarities it is important to see the warning signs of things getting progressively worse. It is easy to overwrite things when it seems like a basic case of the winter blues but before you know it, everything can spiral out of control.

So with this new knowledge in mind, now you want to know what can you do for your loved ones that are going through this. You may also wonder what you can do if you feel like you are suffering from SAD. For the first thought, when you know someone is suffering the best you can do is make sure they realize you are there for them. Check in to see if they are taking their medication and eating, invite them out or offer to hang out at their place and give them company. As someone with depression themselves, nothing helps me more than being surrounded by loved ones who may not understand but are willing to be there for you because they care. If you are suffering from this mental illness it is important to remind yourself to take care of yourself. Make sure to eat, get sleep, and keep up with your hygiene. If you feel like it is getting too serious, make sure to seek out help or speak with someone. There are a plethora of resources for you to turn to when things get tough.

Remember that the holiday season is meant to spread joy and enjoy the good in others. Take care of yourselves and those around you. Like all things in life, this too shall pass and I think you will be alright.