Written by KHill
Feeling symptoms of seasonal depression as we transition back to colder days is actually called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. With shorter days and less sunlight, our brain chemistry can be affected. This sometimes leads to feelings that sneak up on us, becoming noticeable only when they’ve become consistent.
Light therapy is often the primary recommendation for seasonal depression. However, another way to get through the dreary months is to reframe your perspective or even try to romanticize the season.
Now, imagine it’s a rainy, 32-degree day. You have the whole day ahead of you, and it’s freezing outside. On days like this, it’s tempting to stay indoors. Negative thoughts creep in, urging you to stay in bed. It’s too cold to function. What if you get sick and can’t finish the week strong? There won’t be any joy in this day.
At times like these, the goal is to meet these seasonal depression thoughts with positive ones. Think of it like this: your mind is a train station, where trains—your thoughts—arrive one after another. Some trains carry positive thoughts, while others carry negative ones. Just like choosing a train, you have the power to decide which thoughts to board. You can let the negative train pass without stepping on, waiting instead for the positive train to arrive. But on days when it feels like there won’t be any joy, it may take an extra effort to put that positive train in the station yourself, inviting in thoughts that bring comfort or hope.
For example, I’m going to try inviting more positive trains to my dreary morning. I’ll watch the negative thought train pull out of the station and focus instead on the positive train right in front of me. The rain is excessively cold? Perfect—I can listen to my rainy-day playlist or wear my favorite sweater. And, since soup, comfort foods, and teas are my favorite things, I’ll use them not only to enjoy myself but to boost my immune system too.
In the end, reshaping your thoughts and challenging season depression negativity can be achievable when you make it personal. The sun will come back soon!
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