depression

“AMA policy adopted last year identifies loneliness as a public health issue that affects people of all ages.” ~ American Medical Association

February is the month of love and connection. But what if you don’t feel connected? In a January 2020 (pre-lockdown) survey of 10,000 adults, 61% said they were lonely. And loneliness is more than just a mental health issue. It’s been linked to increased heart problems, stroke, and other medical issues. 

According to psychiatrist Dr. Tiffani Bell Washington, MD, MPH, “Loneliness is essentially the feeling of being uncomfortable or in distress when someone feels that there is a gap between the connection they would like and the connection they actually have... You can be in a crowd full of people, you can know all of them, and you can still feel lonely.” 

She added that superficial social connections, no matter how many, don’t really decrease loneliness. “What you really want is something deeper—someone to know you on the inside,” she said. “It's really based on perception of the difference between the relationship you'd like and the relationship that you have with others.”

Types of Loneliness

Loneliness and social isolation are two sides to the same coin. As stated above, a person can be lonely in a crowd. But many people are also at risk for social isolation. These include marginalized populations, older people, and those in remote areas. Either way, the lack of connection to others is detrimental because humans are hard-wired for connection. 

How to Combat Loneliness

When it comes to “fixing” the problem of loneliness, there are two major things to consider: connection with others and connection with ourselves (being content while alone). 

Connecting with others doesn’t have to mean going to crowded places or attending parties every week. Since we long for others who really “get” us, it’s helpful to find those who share our interests, values, and backgrounds. Writers, for example, tend to work in isolation. As a profession, they are often considered introverts. But attending writer’s conferences and joining writer’s groups—either locally or online, offers connection for people who share similar interests and who often view life in comparable ways.

Ways to Connect with Others

• Consider your interests and hobbies, and find groups who share those. If you live in a remote area, find an online group that meets online. 

• Join a community or volunteer organization. Look for someone else who looks lonely and befriend them. 

• Take your lunch to a park or other place and people watch. Even if you don’t talk to anyone, just being around other humans can help you feel less lonely. 

• Find creative ways to connect. If you live far from family and friends, set up online appointments to meet for coffee, dinner, online games, or even watch a movie or sporting event. You can use these to join birthday parties and holiday gatherings too.

• Make a large group smaller. If you’re already in a large group that makes you feel lonely, invite a few people you have something in common with and start a group within a group. This can be a study group, a book club, a dinner club, or anything else that brings a deeper connection.   

Ways to Connect with Yourself (Hint: Self-Care!)

• Learn to relish your alone time. Schedule appointments with yourself to do things you really want to do, that you need to do alone, anyway. Get a massage or a facial. Take a bubble bath. Turn on some of your favorite music, light a candle, read a novel. 

• Reorganize or redecorate a room in your home. 

• Start a new hobby. YouTube is an excellent resource for learning to paint, play guitar, garden, or just about anything else you might be interested in. 

• Go outside. Talk a walk or a jog in a park or around your neighborhood, or simply enjoy a cup of tea while you listen to birdsong. 

• Talk to yourself. Tell yourself the things you’d say to your best friend, if they were feeling disconnected. Remind yourself that you’re amazing, interesting, intelligent, and fun. Do this every day—out loud or in your head. 

Several studies link loneliness with depression, immune suppression, and other health problems. If you’re feeling lonely, it’s important to combat the issue in any way you can. Sometimes you can do all the right things and the loneliness persists. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist who can help you explore ways to bridge the gap between the connections you want and the connections you have. You are worth the effort.

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of major depression with a seasonal pattern that affects most people in winter, but it can happen at any time of year. 

Winter can bring snowflakes, snowmen, peace, joy, and good tidings. But for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), winter can also bring serious depression. Each year, around 5% of people in the US experience SAD. This is more than just a case of the blahs and can have a major impact on a person’s ability to function.

Studies show that people with this disorder are at risk when there is less sunlight. Some produce more melatonin than their bodies need, making them sleepy. Others don’t produce enough serotonin or Vitamin D, and the decrease in sunlight exacerbates the problem. Still others are affected when their internal clock (circadian rhythm) is thrown out of whack. 

Who is at risk? 

• 80% of those who have SAD are women. 
• Most symptoms appear between ages 20 and 30, though some may appear earlier. 
• Depending on geographic region, SAD affects from 0-10% of the population. Those further from the equator are at higher risk.
• Those who already have a depressive disorder (or a family member who does) are more likely to be affected.

Are you struggling with SAD? 

Take our quiz. This exercise is confidential and for your reference only. No information is stored or shared. 

Check each box below that applies to you. 

In the past two weeks, I have:

• felt sad for no apparent reason 
• had a hard time laughing at or enjoying things I usually find pleasure in
• struggled with maintaining my weight (gaining or losing significant weight)
• had trouble sleeping (falling/staying asleep or sleeping too much)
• felt like I am moving more slowly than usual
• had low energy for more than half the days
• felt worthless or guilty for no apparent reason
• had a difficult time making decisions
• had thoughts to harm myself or end my life

If you checked more than half of these statements, you may want to reach out to your doctor or counselor about Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Symptoms of SAD:

1. anxiety
2. low energy, sleepiness despite getting plenty of rest, sleep problems
3. withdrawal
4. feeling of sadness, worthlessness, guilt, or having a depressed mood
5. difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
6. loss of interest in things that usually bring pleasure
7. changes in appetite (often overeating/craving carbs)
8. weight gain
9. increase in purposeless physical activity (pacing, handwringing)
10. slowed movement or speech
11. social problems
12. sexual problems, loss of libido
13. thoughts of death or suicide

Treatments for SAD

Several treatments are available for SAD, including:

1. Light Therapy: Sitting in front of a light box 20 minutes a day can give your body the nutrients it normally gets from the sun. 

1. Counseling/Therapy: A mental health professional can help you recognize negative thought patterns and retrain them.
    
2. Vitamin D: Reach out to your doctor to test your vitamin D levels and take a supplement when needed. 
    
3. Medication: Your doctor may prescribe other medications to help balance your hormones and take the edge off your depression.

Ways to Be Proactive:

In addition to the treatments listed above, here are some other things you can do to stay proactive:  

• Get good sleep. Learn about healthy sleep habits, figure out what changes you need to make, and then keep a routine year-round.
• Get moving. Do your best to stay active, especially during daylight hours. Move your body. Take daily walks. Ride your bike. Stretch. Try doing Pilates or yoga. Join an exercise class. 
• Get more sun. Go outside. Schedule errands when the sun is out. Read a book on your patio. Even sitting by a sunny window can help. 
• Get connected. Try not to isolate.  Spend time with other people. Build a support system. 

Keep in Mind

If your winter blahs last more than a few days or become severe enough to affect your normal routines, reach out to your doctor, a mental health professional therapist, or your EAP for help. An official diagnosis may come when a person has been affected the same way for at least two years in a row, so it’s important to document your symptoms. Remember, this disorder (and many depressive disorders) are often a matter of genetics, hormones, and other factors, and it can happen to anyone. But with the proper diagnosis and treatment, you can get through the winter and all year long.

According to popular music, Hallmark movies, and holiday greeting cards, this time of year is filled with peace, joy, and good tidings. But for many who have lost a loved one, that picture isn’t entirely accurate. Instead of joy, we feel sadness. Instead of peace, we feel anxiety. If you or someone you know is coping with loss this season, it’s important to remember that healing is a process. With significant loss, grief may always be present. However, it does dull with time as we learn to do life in new ways without that person.

If you’ve recently (or perhaps not so recently) experienced a significant loss, consider the following as you navigate the holidays: 

• Set boundaries. It's okay to not want to be around happy, festive people. Watching others carry on with their lives can be especially hard. If needed, feel free to turn down invitations. Thank people for their offers but tell them you’d rather celebrate alone this year. 
• Decorate as much or as little as you want. If putting up the tree makes you feel close to your loved one, do it. If stringing lights makes your grief more intense, don’t. You have a right to deal with the holidays in ways that feel right to you. 
• Make a plan. If you celebrate with others, drive yourself so you can leave when you’re ready, or ask a trusted friend or family member to drive you with that plan in mind. 
• Cry. Or laugh at old times. Whatever you do, let yourself feel what you feel and be okay with it. Don’t be afraid of the intense emotions that surface during this time. They’re part of the healing process. 
• Honor your loved one. Carry on their favorite holiday tradition or donate to a charity in their name. Do something to show yourself—and the world—that this person you loved is not forgotten. 
• Change it up. If doing the same things you did with your loved one makes you sad, it’s okay to come up with new traditions. Take a trip or make a new dish you’ve wanted to try. If there’s something you always wanted to do but your loved one wasn’t on board, consider doing it now.
• Volunteer. One of the quickest ways to get past our own pain is to reach out to others who are hurting. Bake a cake for a sick friend. Put in some time at a local food bank. It will get your mind off your grief, make you feel better, and bless others in the process.  
• Write a letter to your loved one. Let them know how you feel and how you’re managing without them. Just writing it down will help with the grief process. 
• Consider the young ones. Many holiday traditions are centered around children. Think about how they may feel if you don’t participate. Keep yourself in their lives, even if just for a few of the celebrations and traditions. 
• Reach out. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for help dealing with your grief. Most people want to be there for you, but they don’t know how. Tell them, and it may help with their own grieving process. 

If someone you know has lost a loved one, it can be difficult to know what to say or do. Below are some things to keep in mind as you show your support:  

• Offer, but don’t insist. Ask the person to join you at holiday gatherings but be understanding if the answer is no. Give an open invitation, and don’t be surprised if they change their mind at the last minute. They may initially accept and then back out. Or they may say no, only to decide later they want to take part.
• Listen without judgment. Everyone grieves differently. Be supportive, but don’t offer advice or platitudes. Don’t say, “At least he’s not in pain anymore,” or any variation of that. When someone is grieving, they just want their person back. Let them feel their grief. 
• Send a special card. For your grieving friend, you might forgo the traditional smiling family photo card and send a more subdued and sensitive message instead. 
• Commit. After the funeral is over and the casserole dishes are returned, many friends disappear. But the months after a death can be long and lonely. Check on your friend often, over a long period of time. 
• Donate in honor of the lost person, and let your friend know you’ve done so.

Remember that grief doesn’t just happen that first holiday season after a person is gone. Sometimes, holidays are a little sad for many years to come. However, the load does lighten with time. Though you will always long for that person in your holiday celebrations, you will eventually learn to laugh, love, and enjoy life without them. Hang in there. It really does get better. And, if needed, you can always reach out to a therapist for help.

Everyone has ups and downs in life, but some people experience a disorder which disrupts their work, school, and/or relationships. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that impacts your mood, energy levels, and ability to complete daily tasks.

BIPOLAR CAUSES

There is no single cause for bipolar disorder. Research  suggests  that  genetic  components, family history, and a person’s environment are all factors.

• Manic episodes – These occur when a person is overly excited and full of energy.  Common manic episode symptoms are:
  
  
• Talking  very  quickly  and   experiencing racing thoughts
• Being easily distracted
• Feeling irritable
• Increasing activities despite a decreased need of sleep
• Acting impulsively or engaging in high-risk behaviors
• Believing  unrealistic  or  grandiose  ideas about your abilities
  
  
• Depressive episodes – During a depressive episode,  a  person  feels  sad  or  hopeless. Activities  that  once  brought  pleasure  are now unappealing.  Other depressive episode symptoms are:
  
  
• Lacking energy
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Experiencing changes in sleep and eating habits
• Contemplating or attempting suicide

TYPES OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

No one experiences bipolar disorder exactly the same way, but there are two main classifications, Bipolar  I  and  Bipolar  II,  as  identified  in  the Diagnostic  and  Statistical  Manual  of  Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Bipolar  disorder  is  an  absolutely  treatable condition.  A  combination  of  medication  and psychotherapy works well for many coping with the diagnosis.

ACTION STEPS

If you or a loved one is showing signs of bipolar tendencies, know you’re not alone. The following tips will help guide you or your loved one toward help.

For a loved one:

✓ Be there and offer support in any way you can.

✓  Take time to listen and give them your full attention.

✓ Encourage  them  to  seek  treatment  and consider going with them.

✓ Observe  their  behavior  and  never  ignore signs indicating suicidal thoughts.

For yourself:

✓  Learn about the warning signs and symptoms of depression and mania.

✓ Schedule an appointment for a check-up with your primary care provider. 

✓  Talk with your health care providers about treatment options.

✓ Adhere   to   medication   and   treatment regimens prescribed by your doctor.

✓  Practice   self-care   by   eating   healthy, exercising regularly, and getting rest.

✓ Be patient with yourself, treatment plans take time.

If you’re feeling suicidal, don’t hesitate to call 911, or go to an urgent care center or hospital emergency room for immediate assistance.

KEEP IN MIND

You’re   not   alone,   and   help   is   available. Consider reaching out to your health care provider   and   engaging   other   counseling resources for guidance on next steps.

What steps will you take today to be well and live life more fully?

Want to talk to a counselor today about this? 

Call us at 800-453-7733 and ask for your “Free 15 Minute Phone Consultation" with one of our licensed counselors. We’ll listen, answer questions you may have, and help you plan next steps.