By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
As exhilarating as moving to Oklahoma City may be, at some point the moving high fades away and you come back to earth along with a great big thud. And when re-entry is over the winter season, it can lead to seasonal depression--also called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Particularly if your move has brought you someplace where winter season is a real thing--such as if you've gone from Texas to Michigan-you need to be prepared for some seasonal anxious feelings and know how to manage it till the springtime thaw.If you recollect anything at all with regards to high school geography, the farther north you travel, the less sunshine there will be in the winter and fall times. The brief days usually come together with gloomy gray days, so that it feels like the sun hardly shines for weeks at a time. Then all you want to do is hibernate--stay at home, sleep, binge watch movies online, and just avoid the human race. For those who have just moved across the country and are in a new area, and you have not essentially settled into a new routine still, you'll find it much easier to succumb to the clutches of seasonal depression. Therefore, here is how it is possible to address it from your own home, or some treatments a pro could recommend if you cannot keep it at bay without any help.
One note--SAD is indeed a thing--the Mayo Clinic treats it, and also the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) contains it. If you experience the symptoms of depression linked to winter months, find intervention if you have had the symptoms before.
Light Treatments
Phototherapy is the miracle bullet for lots of people with SAD. It's a uncomplicated therapy that researchers think modifies your brain balance with 30 minutes a day of exposure; There aren't any serious unwanted side effects and it's a home therapy, so it is worth a consideration. You will need a light box that emits no less than 10,000 lux (lux factors in the intensity of the lighting). Sit by the box--approximately 16 and 24 inches away from you--while you sip your morning coffee, not gazing straight at the light but with your eyes open. Ensure the light box is made particularly for SAD therapy, because it will get rid of Ultra-violet light.
Basic things--higher-watt lights, opening shades in the daytime, and sitting by a window where you work, if possible--that get you to extra light will have a notable benefit. Cut back any shrub limbs that dangle across your residence to allow in additional light, and investigate putting in skylights to allow all the light you possibly can to the house.
Head Outdoors
Take a stroll, enjoy your lunch break outside--anything to absorb a handful of weak winter season sun. Even a small increase of Vitamin D is ideal for you and also going out-of-doors for a brief stroll satisfies that in addition to getting your heart rate up. Early morning sun--even on overcast days--packs a greater wallop versus the weak mid-day sun, so make an effort to go outdoors to begin your day.
Being active is the default method for helping almost any depression--it gets the endorphins running, which in turn helps reduce the symptoms of tension and anxiety. If perhaps your new residence is in a locale where cold weather sporting activities are prevalent, take up a new activity--snow skiing, ice skating, perhaps ice fishing. Strive to go outside and socialize, even if it is simply eating a meal or having coffee with acquaintances.
If your SAD persists when you have attempted to manage it yourself, you should get a medical professional's assistance. A psychologist or psychiatrist will perform a detailed assessment of your physical and mental wellness and assess whether your symptoms are truly seasonal or the beginnings of a more persistent depression. Among the first questions they'll ask is if any other family members are subject to SAD--it is thought to be hereditary. Treatment solutions may be talk therapy, relaxation or meditating, or even a short-term prescription for antidepressants.
Remember that as the winter season gives way to springtime, so will your SAD lessen as the days get lengthier as well as warmer. Meanwhile, please get treatment for your SAD to help you enjoy your health in your new residence after moving to Oklahoma City.
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