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the truth about seasonal depression · feel your feelings with Ethan Jewell

• 0:00
  Well, it's that time of year again.
• 0:03
  The weather is getting colder, people are getting in the
• 0:06
  holiday spirit, and it should be a happy time of the year.
• 0:10
  However, you and I can't help but feel a little gloomy.
• 0:15
  That feeling that it's getting bad again is coming back.
• 0:19
  The cold chills us to the bone and everything feels just a
• 0:23
  little bit heavier. This is a feeling that many
• 0:26
  people write off and believe it's just all in their heads.
• 0:30
  But what if I told you that the season's changing can have a
• 0:34
  legitimate impact on your mental health?
• 0:37
  My name is Ethan Jewell and welcome back to Feel Your
• 0:42
  Feelings. Today's topic is something that
• 0:47
  I think many of us can relate to.
• 0:49
  It's no secret that winter brings what many people refer to
• 0:53
  as seasonal depression. It's a phenomenon that affects
• 0:57
  many of us and leads us down a path of getting colder with the
• 1:01
  weather. However, many people think that
• 1:04
  this is just some isolated feeling that they feel.
• 1:08
  But really, it's a diagnosable illness and is more based in
• 1:13
  reality than you think. That illness is known as SAD or
• 1:19
  seasonal Affective Disorder. It's that time of year when the
• 1:23
  days get shorter, the nights get longer, and for some of us, the
• 1:28
  shift in seasons can have a profound impact on our mental
• 1:32
  well-being. So grab a cozy blanket, maybe a
• 1:36
  cup of hot tea, and let's explore together how and why the
• 1:40
  seasons affect us mentally and what we can do to navigate
• 1:44
  through those challenging moments.
• 1:47
  Thank you for making this podcast your go to space for all
• 1:51
  things mental health. Many people might believe that
• 1:56
  the seasonal depression they experience is just because the
• 1:59
  weather is getting colder, and maybe they're missing the hotter
• 2:02
  months and the happy experiences that come with that.
• 2:06
  However, the causes for seasonal depression are a little deeper
• 2:10
  than that. According to an article from
• 2:13
  John Hopkins Medicine, less sunlight and shorter days are
• 2:17
  thought to be linked to a chemical change in the brain and
• 2:20
  may be part of the cause. Melatonin, a sleep related
• 2:25
  hormone, has been linked to seasonal depression, so when the
• 2:29
  days are shorter and darker, more melatonin is made.
• 2:33
  The following are the most common symptoms of seasonal
• 2:36
  depression or SAD increased sleep and daytime drowsiness,
• 2:41
  loss of interest or pleasure, social withdrawal, irritability
• 2:45
  and anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, or
• 2:47
  physical problems such as headaches.
• 2:50
  Now, some of you that have been listening closely may have
• 2:53
  noticed that these are mostly symptoms of depression and if
• 2:58
  you notice this you would be right.
• 3:00
  You see SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder or seasonal depression
• 3:04
  is really depression just hidden behind a clever disguise.
• 3:09
  It's depression that just comes around really, really heavily
• 3:14
  during certain times of the year.
• 3:17
  These symptoms can vary from mild to very intense.
• 3:21
  Some people feel a relatively normal sad or mellow feeling,
• 3:25
  but for others, seasonal depression can completely halt
• 3:30
  their ability to function normally.
• 3:33
  The depression can cut deep and have serious impacts on behavior
• 3:37
  and cognitive function. Now, this illness is more common
• 3:41
  than many people think, and millions are affected by it
• 3:44
  every year. We see it more in people who are
• 3:47
  already diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder,
• 3:50
  along with other mental illnesses.
• 3:52
  It's like a fun little once a year surprise for those of us
• 3:56
  who are already struggling now. To be honest, exact causes of
• 4:00
  seasonal affective disorder are relatively unknown.
• 4:04
  According to the National Institute of Mental Health,
• 4:07
  decreased daylight could lead to a decrease in serotonin in the
• 4:11
  brain. Vitamin D deficiency from less
• 4:13
  sunlight can also have a profound impact on mental
• 4:16
  health. Researchers are still trying to
• 4:19
  figure out why exactly this happens, but many studies point
• 4:24
  towards our melatonin and serotonin levels being affected
• 4:28
  by the change in sunlight. It's shocking that a simple
• 4:31
  change in seasons can be so detrimental to our mental
• 4:35
  health. For some, winter becomes a
• 4:38
  debilitating time. The holidays can already be
• 4:41
  difficult. Seeing a family could be hard.
• 4:44
  For those who experience trauma in childhood, spending time
• 4:48
  around certain people can take a mental toll.
• 4:52
  On top of that, seasonal depression is a real and
• 4:56
  difficult issue. All of this comes together into
• 4:59
  a perfect mental illness cocktail in the winter time.
• 5:03
  It's getting colder, it's darker for longer and some people have
• 5:08
  to deal with traumatic issues. So what can be done to help
• 5:13
  treat this? As with any mental illness,
• 5:17
  there are steps we can take to help seasonal depression.
• 5:20
  Also, as with any mental illness, being aware of it and
• 5:25
  acknowledging it exists is the 1st and most crucial step.
• 5:29
  So thank you for doing that with me.
• 5:31
  One great way to help our seasonal depression is with
• 5:34
  therapy, which is why I'm happy to say that this episode is
• 5:38
  sponsored by Better Help. I personally struggle with
• 5:42
  difficult feelings during the winter time.
• 5:44
  Over just the past few weeks, I've started to sleep more, deal
• 5:49
  with some heavy feelings during the day, and face more mental
• 5:52
  health issues. This time of year can be a lot,
• 5:57
  and it's natural to feel some sadness or anxiety about it.
• 6:01
  Therapy can be a bright spot amid all the feelings that
• 6:04
  winter may bring, and is a great way to work through difficult
• 6:08
  feelings that come with the holidays or colder weather.
• 6:12
  I personally have gone to therapy and can confidently say
• 6:16
  that it works. If you're thinking of starting
• 6:19
  therapy this winter, give Better help a try.
• 6:22
  It's designed to be convenient, flexible, and can have you
• 6:26
  matched with a licensed therapist in no time.
• 6:29
  You can swap therapists at any time for no additional charge.
• 6:33
  Find your bright spot this season with better help.
• 6:37
  Visit betterhelp.com/feel It today to get 10% off your first
• 6:43
  month. That's better help.
• 6:45
  help.com/feel It. Therapy isn't the only thing we
• 6:54
  can engage in to help our seasonal depression.
• 6:57
  The National Institute of Mental Health talks about some
• 7:00
  treatments for seasonal affective disorder, which
• 7:03
  includes light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant
• 7:06
  medication, and surprisingly, vitamin D Light therapy and
• 7:12
  vitamin D are used to treat seasonal depression
• 7:14
  specifically, while therapy and antidepressants are more used to
• 7:18
  treat general depression, so they also work.
• 7:21
  In this case, light therapy is a very interesting treatment
• 7:25
  that's been used since the 1980s.
• 7:27
  The goal is to expose people with SAD to a bright light to
• 7:33
  make up for diminished natural sunlight during the darker
• 7:36
  months, since that is assumed to be the main cause for seasonal
• 7:40
  depression. For this treatment, the person
• 7:43
  sits in front of a very bright light box for 30 to 45 minutes a
• 7:48
  day. This light is about 20 times
• 7:52
  brighter than ordinary indoor lights.
• 7:54
  This is a safe treatment for most.
• 7:56
  However, some people with eye diseases or certain medications,
• 8:00
  or just a sensitivity to light may need to use alternate
• 8:04
  treatments. Therapy and medications are also
• 8:07
  an effective treatment, as they are with regular depression
• 8:11
  because the symptoms are generally similar.
• 8:14
  I'd recommend these routes if you struggle with seasonal
• 8:16
  depression. Also, some studies suggest that
• 8:20
  taking vitamin D as a supplement during the winter can actually
• 8:24
  help. There have been mixed results in
• 8:26
  these studies, but because sunlight can cause a vitamin D
• 8:29
  deficiency and a vitamin D deficiency can do all sorts of
• 8:33
  bad things to our bodies, it is worth a try.
• 8:37
  The most important thing that you can do for seasonal
• 8:40
  depression is to be aware and prepared.
• 8:44
  I know I have struggled a lot over the winter months and I can
• 8:48
  already feel it getting a little heavier.
• 8:51
  However, by having that awareness, I'm ready for what
• 8:55
  could come. If you struggle during these
• 8:57
  times, you should try your best to have a support system in
• 9:01
  place, friends, and family you can turn to when things get
• 9:04
  hard. Try journaling, meditation, and
• 9:08
  get outdoors When possible. Do the things that you enjoy.
• 9:12
  Try to get out and try not to succumb to the difficult
• 9:16
  feelings that these winter months can bring.
• 9:20
  Do everything you can to care for yourself.
• 9:23
  This isn't an easy time of the year, and if you're struggling,
• 9:27
  I hear you know that you're not alone.
• 9:31
  Many people struggle with this every single year, and the
• 9:35
  holidays are not just a time for celebration and joy.
• 9:39
  There are also a time for you to care for yourself, For you to
• 9:44
  become closer to your emotions and improve your mental health.
• 9:48
  A time for us all to take it slow and feel our feelings.
• 9:55
  Take these feelings seriously. Get warm under blankets and warm
• 9:59
  your heart as we face the seasonal depression.
• 10:03
  We got this that's going to wrap it up for today's episode.
• 10:08
  Thank you for being here. If you need help feeling your
• 10:11
  feelings, check out my music on all platforms under the name of
• 10:14
  Ethan Jewell and I almost guarantee it'll make you cry.
• 10:18
  I have new music coming out soon and you can pre save it now on
• 10:21
  my website www.ethanjewell.com. Also shoot me a message on my
• 10:27
  Instagram at Jewell Boy with an eye under score and let me know
• 10:31
  what you thought about today's episode.
• 10:33
  So thank you for being here. Thank you for understanding the
• 10:37
  difficulties that seasonal depression may bring.
• 10:40
  And as always, thank you for feeling your feelings.
• 10:45
  I'll see you next time.