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Seasonal Depression Is Coming. Here’s How to Manage It Before Things Gets Worse.

A therapist shares four ways to prepare for seasonal depression, from getting morning sunlight to adjusting your winter routines.

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Does the change of seasons negatively affect your mental health? If so, you might have seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Thankfully, there are ways to get ahead of this internal shift.

“Despite our tendency to throw around the term ‘seasonal depression’ anytime someone feels especially dreary and unmotivated in the winter, it actually refers to a recurring mental health condition that’s thought to impact about one in 20 adults in the U.S., according to the American Psychiatric Association,” says Sydney Gomez, LCSW Clinical Training Specialist at Thriveworks.

“The difference between the winter blahs and true seasonal affective disorder (SAD) comes down to how severe, persistent, and impactful it is … When we talk about seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder, we’re typically referring to a seasonal presentation of major depressive disorder.”

4 Ways to Get Ahead of Seasonal Depression Before Winter Hits, According to a Therapist

Think: symptoms like depressed mood, loss of interest/pleasure, changes in weight and appetite, fatigue and low energy, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, trouble concentrating or making........

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