Depression in winter, what can we do?

Seasonal affective disorder or winter depression has this temporary characteristic, however it involves many factors at the same time, we have biological, psychological, psychosocial and environmental factors. Depression at this time of year has the same risks as a major depressive disorder, which could even lead to suicidal intent. This will depend a lot on the symptoms for the type of management, explains Dr. Ángel Alberto Ruiz Chow, a specialist in adult psychiatry at the ABC Medical Center, who gives us more information about it.

He explains that from an environmental point of view, we are in a season where there is a decrease in temperature and light throughout the day, “this seems to bring about some emotional changes associated with the greater presence of melatonin, it is not converted into serotonin and it has to do with circadian rhythms (physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond mainly to light and darkness)”.

Another factor is the great psychosocial pressure we have to precisely meet certain social expectations, such as gifts, food expenses, end-of-year festivals, meetings, parties. “All of this ultimately weighs on the economy, although there has not been economic abundance in the year, we have the expectation at this moment that we should comply with all those commitments.”

On the biological side, more alcohol or cigarettes are also consumed, which increases anxious and depressive symptoms. In the spiritual part it is a moment of reflection, in fact the closing of the year is an invitation to think about what we have experienced in the last months of our lives and unfortunately on many occasions the balance is not so good.

All this, coupled with previous depressive symptoms, increases the possibility of a winter depression. Therefore, in this sense, the specialist asks to be attentive to symptoms that could give us an idea that something is not right.

Since it is possible to anticipate the time of year when symptoms may appear, serious changes in mood, appetite and energy levels can be avoided. Treatment can help prevent complications, especially if seasonal affective disorder is diagnosed and treated before symptoms worsen.

symptomatology:

“If you start with more alcohol consumption that does not necessarily have to do with the festivities but is already taken as a pretext, if sleep habits have changed, whether it is sleeping a lot or little in relation to the weeks before the winter season , that you are irritable, without wanting to do things that were previously motivating, if one begins with thoughts where they analyze the world without their presence, sometimes there are suicidal plans or ideas, all this should alert us ”.

But we can also be attentive to what happens with our loved ones. Ruiz Chow, explains that there are mirror neurons that allow us to detect the mood of another person and feel what the other is feeling emotionally, this can help us guide the person, approach them and ask them to approach a specialist.

He said that trying to help being non-professionals can often be of good will but it is difficult to get into the subject because we do not know what to ask, we confuse ideas, we are afraid of how to approach the subject, for all that, “an approach from the professionals, this cannot be replaced”.

Options:

What can be done, he said, is to pay attention to improving sleep (between 6 and 8 hours), sunbathing, not smoking, not taking alcohol or drugs, since they facilitate depressive states, increasing physical activity, taking care of diet (increase antioxidants, foods that facilitate digestion) however, if there is no energy or motivation for it, it could be aggressive for people, which is why the specialist reiterates the need for professional attention.

If it is a mild winter depression, psychotherapy or general measures will probably be enough, but when it is greater, pharmacological treatment will probably be required. “What we generally detect at the ABC Medical Center is that many of these patients had already had mild depressive episodes, but they increase with time, which is why we insist on care precisely at this time.”

He recalled that there are many options, both psychotherapeutic and pharmacological, as well as activities to help people, so he asks that mental health be part of our general health and that we give it priority. “Depression and suicide attempts are medical conditions that must be treated by specialists to determine treatment,” she concludes.

nelly.toche@eleconomista.mx