Tag Archives: seasonal affective disorder

Prioritizing Your Mental Health This Winter

2020 has been a tough year. COVID-19, social unrest, political drama, and natural disasters can all cause stress and mental fatigue. Add in less sunlight and a colder climate, and this winter might be rough for many workers.

According to the CDC, in the second quarter of 2020, “the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety disorder was approximately three times those reported in the second quarter of 2019 (25.5% versus 8.1%), and prevalence of depressive disorder was approximately four times that reported in the second quarter of 2019.”

Additionally, roughly 5% of people deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or seasonal depression. In an interview with USA Today, professor of psychology Dr. Lata McGinn noted:

“There’s less activity, there’s less socialization, there are less mastery activities, there are less pleasurable activities, so in general there is an increase in depression, not to mention job losses and losses of people. A combination of all those things, I think, would put us more at risk this winter.”

Essentially, even if you don’t suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, workers must prioritize their mental health this season. Following are methods to cope. (more…)

Do You Suffer from the Winter Blues?

There may be more at play

In the United States, many of us are currently experiencing one of the coldest winters on record. With cloudy days becoming the norm and sunny scenes still weeks away, it’s understandable if you’re feeling low.

However, if your bad feelings are starting to heavily impact your job search, it might be possible that something more serious is going on. Maybe you’ve started to snap at your friends, or keep sleeping through your alarm clock. You never really feel awake—not even a third cup of coffee helps. You might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Look no further than the infographic below (provided by BetterHelp.com) for the major SAD signs. If any of these symptoms sound familiar, get in touch with your doctor to discuss ways to combat the disorder.