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Long, snowy winter tests people's patience
By Krista Brown
Daily News staff writer
Blah.
It's the general way to sum up people's feelings this time of year. The temperatures are cold, the sun rarely shines and the snowfall won't end.
Some people are affected more negatively than others during the winter months, and it can be classified as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, said licensed professional counselor Karen Mascharka.
Mascharka, who works for the Counseling Care Center at Beloit Memorial Hospital, said SAD is a cyclic seasonal condition that affects many people as late fall and early winter arrive each year.
“The symptoms come and go at the same time each year,” she said. “They usually go away during the warmer, sunnier days of spring and summer.”
Symptoms of SAD include many of the same symptoms of depression - hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, social withdrawal, oversleeping, loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities, appetite changes, weight gain and a difficulty concentrating.
SAD, Mascharka said, is a subtype of depression, so oftentimes antidepressants, or even therapy, can help sufferers cope. But the most effective treatment is believed to be light therapy, which mimics sunlight and can help improve moods.
“Increased sunlight can improve symptoms,” Mascharka said. “The light helps lift moods and remove symptoms.”
As with any treatment, though, Mascharka recommends checking with a physician to determine if light therapy is the best option.
Of course, she said, there are alternatives to the prescribed method to help improve moods and manage the condition during the dreary months.
“Try to make your home sunnier and brighter,” she said. “Open the blinds, trim the tree branches that block sunlight. Get outdoors on sunny days, even during the winter.”
Regular exercise is also a stress and anxiety reliever, she said. Socializing, planning a winter vacation, practicing stress management and taking time to relax are other ways to help.
Laurie Lovings, an employee at Courtesy's Island Sun Tanning Salon, said many people turn to indoor tanning in the winter, if for no reason than to lift their spirits.
“A lot of people do it to keep their tan during the winter months, or they come in because it's cold out and they want to get warm,” Lovings said. “But a lot of people come in because they say they just feel sort of blah and want to feel better.”
It's the general way to sum up people's feelings this time of year. The temperatures are cold, the sun rarely shines and the snowfall won't end.
Some people are affected more negatively than others during the winter months, and it can be classified as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, said licensed professional counselor Karen Mascharka.
Mascharka, who works for the Counseling Care Center at Beloit Memorial Hospital, said SAD is a cyclic seasonal condition that affects many people as late fall and early winter arrive each year.
“The symptoms come and go at the same time each year,” she said. “They usually go away during the warmer, sunnier days of spring and summer.”
Symptoms of SAD include many of the same symptoms of depression - hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, social withdrawal, oversleeping, loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities, appetite changes, weight gain and a difficulty concentrating.
SAD, Mascharka said, is a subtype of depression, so oftentimes antidepressants, or even therapy, can help sufferers cope. But the most effective treatment is believed to be light therapy, which mimics sunlight and can help improve moods.
“Increased sunlight can improve symptoms,” Mascharka said. “The light helps lift moods and remove symptoms.”
As with any treatment, though, Mascharka recommends checking with a physician to determine if light therapy is the best option.
Of course, she said, there are alternatives to the prescribed method to help improve moods and manage the condition during the dreary months.
“Try to make your home sunnier and brighter,” she said. “Open the blinds, trim the tree branches that block sunlight. Get outdoors on sunny days, even during the winter.”
Regular exercise is also a stress and anxiety reliever, she said. Socializing, planning a winter vacation, practicing stress management and taking time to relax are other ways to help.
Laurie Lovings, an employee at Courtesy's Island Sun Tanning Salon, said many people turn to indoor tanning in the winter, if for no reason than to lift their spirits.
“A lot of people do it to keep their tan during the winter months, or they come in because it's cold out and they want to get warm,” Lovings said. “But a lot of people come in because they say they just feel sort of blah and want to feel better.”
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| For parents, panic and anxiety waiting for word from students | Oh, boy! Look for another 8-11 inches Sunday |
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