Seasonal Affective Disorder, COVID-19, and the Holidays: Navigating the Triple Threat of Depression this Winter
Astrid Burke, MHC
For some, the winter season brings with it a picture of cozying up in a warm blanket by candlelight, hot beverage in hand and holiday music playing in the background. But for many, the winter brings less comforting thoughts: What will the holidays be like this year? Will I be able to see loved ones? Will my depression come back? If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’re not alone.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of clinical depression that follows a seasonal pattern and most commonly occurs during the fall and winter months, which have less sunlight and colder temperatures. Individuals experiencing SAD may feel like a slower, sadder, more tired version of themselves. They may have less interest in things they typically enjoy, sleep longer hours but still feel fatigued, have difficulty concentrating, experience sad moods, and notice changes in their eating habits. SAD has a quality of hibernation which, if you have SAD, may have kicked in early this year due to the pandemic.
For many, the hibernation quality of self-quarantine has felt characteristic of depression. The pandemic is a global, major stressful live event, and it is understandable to be struggling to process the virus itself as well as the shift it has created in our daily lives and relationships. Up until now, however, the warm outdoors has provided some respite and opportunity for safer social connection.
Our need for social connection, whether with our families of origin, friends, or chosen family is even more evident during the holidays. Whether your holiday memories and plans have been joyful or painful, nurturing or lonely, healing or harmful, this year is nearly guaranteed to feel very different as we lose access to traditions we’ve grown accustomed to.
Here are some ways to care for yourself as you navigate these transitions this winter:
Spiritual self care:
Spend time in nature.
Dedicate time for self-reflection, prayer, or pulling a tarot or oracle card. Tap into your spiritual side in whatever way feels most authentic to you.
Connect your spirit with your body through meditation and yoga.
Take time to mourn. Among other things, this year has brought with it a sense of loss. Hold space for this loss by getting in touch with and expressing any feelings of grief or sadness.
Physical self-care:
While alcohol can often be used during holidays for celebration and merriment, it is always worth exploring our relationships with substances. Check in with yourself: has your use changed during the pandemic? Have you been using substance to cope with pain or grief?
Give your body the fuel it needs by eating nourishing foods and drinking plenty of water.
Explore movement. Whether it’s a taking a leisurely walk in the chilled air, a high-intensity online exercise class, or dancing in your kitchen, prioritize joyful movement.
Rest. Give your body some extra love with baths, naps, and pampering.
Emotional self-care:
Find your sunshine! Bring as much light into your day as possible by taking advantage of the mornings and afternoons outdoors and brightening up your indoor space. If you’re working from home, you may have the flexibility to step outside and catch some much-needed rays or scooch your office space closer to a window. Light therapy and vitamin D supplements, under medical supervision, can also be helpful in balancing the lack of natural light during this time of year.
Practice gratitude. Take time to reflect on the things you feel most grateful for.
Find a mental health professional by exploring remote options for therapy and psychiatry.
Social self-care:
Keep in touch with loved ones in the ways that you can. Make it a priority to call or FaceTime one person outside of work each day.
Swap your summer iced coffee for a hot tea and winterize the socially-distanced, in-person interactions you’ve been having with friends throughout the pandemic.
Say “no” to social obligations when you need to. A major part of healthy relationships is having healthy boundaries. Don’t be afraid to prioritize your needs and opt out.
Mental self-care:
Limit social media consumption. Many studies have shown that more time on social media is associated with mental distress and, according to the National Institutes of health, this has especially been true during the pandemic.
Pick up a hobby that stimulates your mind like listening to a new podcast or picking up a book you’ve been meaning to read.
Practical self-care:
With so much out of our hands, it’s important to focus on what we can control. Tidy your space, meal prep, create a budget, or organize your closet. Focus on what you can do to reduce smaller, day-to-day stressors.
Keep a schedule to maintain a sense of normalcy and routine to your day.
Create work boundaries. If working from home has been new for you, you may have fallen into the murkiness between work and personal life. At the end of your work day, log off, silence your email notifications, and transition into a work-free evening routine.
Above all, trust yourself to know what your triggers are and what helps you cope. Each winter, holiday, and, yes, even this pandemic, is temporary. And you are not alone; there are others who understand and are with you.