Autumn Anxiety is a term that’s new to me, but one that makes so much sense. As many people were looking forward to Autumn, with cosy nights at home in front of the fire, I was busy thinking of ways to force myself to get outside so that I don’t start to feel cooped up at home all day.
But is that all it is, or is there more to it than that?
The terms ‘Autumn Anxiety’ or ‘Winter Blues’ are names commonly used for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a mood disorder which causes people to show signs of depression during the autumn and winter period each year. This is commonly associated with low levels of sunlight, in contrast to the brighter and longer days of spring and summer.
SAD has been recognised since the early 80s, but it faced a lot of scepticism for a long time, and it wasn’t for another ten years that people started to accept it as a real disorder. As with all mental health conditions, the more that people talk about them and share their experiences, the more understanding we become as a society.
If you think about many of the animal species that hibernate over the darker and colder months, it makes sense that it could also affect us in different ways. If you find that your mood dips significantly as soon as the days start to get shorter, this could be a sign that you have SAD, and you just make an appointment to discuss it with your GP.
Because SAD is so closely associated with the shorter days and darker nights, the most common treatment is light therapy. This uses a lightbox or a ‘SAD lamp’ to artificially provide your body with the daylight that it is missing out on. To try and boost this naturally, making sure you get outside in the daylight every day can be really beneficial.
If the light therapy isn’t working, or the depression is particularly bad, then antidepressants have proven effective in treating SAD. Again, speak to your GP or call 111 if you think that this might be something that would help you.
It feels almost redundant to say something like ‘this will pass’, but if you have had better days before, then know that you will have better days again. If you are suffering, then do not suffer alone, and speak to a medical professional or someone that you trust.
You can find more information about Seasonal Affective Disorder on the
NHS website.
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