Avoiding the mental pitfalls of Autumn: In Six Steps

Each season has its separate and unique personality.   

Ready or not Winter confidently marches into our lives with dramatic weather and creates a moody, barren landscape.   

Winter bows to Spring, and Spring politely breaks through the silence of winter with inconsistent weather—from ripping tornadoes to a demure pastel palette, along with soft soaking rains. The earth is hungry for its first planting. 

And then of course there’s Summer, making us endure its big, bold, brutal sun.  And where the summer sun can feel like punishment, it gives us our first harvest.   

Personally, without disrespecting the contribution of the other seasons, I think it’s autumn for me. 

I’ve always considered the Fall season my favorite. 

It allows me to take a deep, cleansing breath, and recover from the other more dramatic seasons. 

Not to say Autumn doesn’t have its drama – what with the devastating hurricanes. And then there's the harmless, yet intense falling of the tree leaves before first changing from green to red, yellow, and orange. Fall also brings with it cooler temperatures, a bounty of pumpkins and apples, and delicious cider donuts and apple dumplings. How could any other season compete?

SAD

There is however a problem that interferes with the picture “postcard-ness” of Autumn.  

For some, Autumn can be the beginning of an increased feeling of anxiety or moodiness. Autumn is the start of a recognized seasonal disorder called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.)      

According to The National Institute of Mental Health SAD is a type of depression characterized by a recurrent seasonal pattern starting in the fall of the year with symptoms lasting about 4−5 months. 

It is diagnosed when persistent sad, anxious, or an “empty mood" for most of the day, nearly every day, lasts for at least two weeks.   And is characterized by some (not necessarily all) of these symptoms:  

Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism

Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness

Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities

Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling slowed down

Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

Changes in sleep or appetite or unplanned weight changes

Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment

Late fall/winter pattern SAD should not be confused with “holiday blues” – or any other feelings of sadness or anxiety brought on by stresses at certain times of the year.  Stresses associated with holidays, or predictable changes in work or school schedules, family visits, and so forth are not the same as SAD. 

This blog post is by no means a substitute for professional medical advice. Especially if you suspect you suffer from SAD during this season. Your job is to take care of yourself and seek professional help.  A great article on SAD can be found here. 

So whether you suffer from SAD or sadness brought on by stress the tips we’re about to share are meant as a suggestion to support you as you move from season to season. Hope they help.

Six tips for turning Autumn pitfalls into positive actions

EXERCISE – No surprise here.  Now is not the time to forgo your exercise routine. No matter how warm and comfy that bed feels on colder mornings, evidence-based research has consistently found that daily exercise can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.  Regular exercise increases serotonin levels, which can help regulate mood and appetite. Be your own best friend by getting up and showing up. 

STAY ACTIVE – Where routinely exercising for 30 minutes every morning is great, what’s great too is making a point of staying active all day.  Identify a project (cleaning out that “junk drawer,” painting the bathroom linen closet, taking a class, or going to seminars) and make it happen.  Or maybe you’re ready to volunteer or start a new business.  The idea is to stay active, doing something that makes you happy.     

VITAMIN D -  According to Tufts Health Plan it’s recommended that everyone take a supplement containing 10 micrograms (equivalent to 400 IU) of vitamin D daily in Autumn and winter.  Of course, you’re going to want to check with your doctor first.  Vitamin D supports essential functions like immunity and helps maintain brain, heart, and bone health.  When Vitamin D levels are too low, it can be linked to a number of health concerns including seasonal depression.      

PLAN FUN – Don’t leave it up to chance.  Be proactive.  Don’t wait for an opportunity, create one.  If you know you tend to feel down, feel sad as the seasons change from fall and winter, plan accordingly.  Have your friends over more often.  Make travel plans, knit a sweater, learn salsa.  Do something regularly that pleases you.  Plan fun activities and stick to those commitments. 

CREATE A ROUTINE- It is amazing how comforting a sustainable routine can be.  Especially if I’m feeling “off” or not quite myself, my daily routine keeps me grounded and feeling productive. For example, make a list of the four or five things you like to do in the morning. Work to turn your list into a daily morning routine (and maybe they will eventually turn into a habit.) See if this consistency makes you feel more productive and more optimistic.  And if after a while, it’s not helping as much, be willing to make some changes.     

ENLIST AN ACCOUNTABILITY BUDDY – Have you ever considered making it through your difficult emotional period by pairing up with someone who might also benefit from the friendship?  Accountability buddies increase motivation, offer fresh perspectives, and create a shared commitment, Why “go it alone” when you can partner with someone you enjoy? There’s something about knowing you’re accountable to someone else that makes us more reliable. And that can feel good.  Can’t think of a current friend you could buddy with?   Find a new one at https://www.meetup.com/

❤️ If you suffer from seasonal depression we'd love to hear from you in the comments. Especially if you have tips to share that ease the symptoms associated with this issue.