12/12/2025
The 12 Days of Holiday Mental Health!
On the first day of Awareness Phoenix brought to me- how to cope with S.A.D
S.A.D. also known as Seasonal Affective disorder effects 10-11 Million Americans every year, mainly around the holidays, 4 out of every 10 americans. and the slightly milder "winter blues" effect an additional 25 million. (UTHealth Houston)
S.A.D. is more than just not liking the cold winther, or shorter days, it can cause serious mood and behavioral changes and symptoms such as a persistent feeling of sadness, anxiousness or "emptiness" most if not every day for 2 weeks or more, feelings of hopelessness, Oversleeping (hypersomnia), overeating mainly craving carbohydrates leading to weight gain, and social withdrawal (social hibernation)
Winter-pattern SAD should not be confused with “holiday blues”—feelings of sadness or anxiety brought on by stresses at certain times of the year. The depression associated with SAD is related to changes in daylight hours, not the calendar, so stresses associated with the holidays or predictable seasonal changes in work or school schedules, family visits, and so forth are not the same as SAD.
the best ways to help with S.A.D. is Light therapy, Psychotherapy, Antidepressant medications, and Vitamin D supplements.
(https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder)
ig you are feeling like you may ne suffering from S.A.D. please contact your Doctor or Mental health provider as soon as possible. and if its an emergency, you feel like you may harm yourself or others please call 988 for the Crisis Hotline or 911 for emergency services. remember, they are here to HELP not to Judge, no one will think yo are "silly" or "being dramatic" if you ask for help.