Although many people get what is often referred to as the “winter blues”, a mild lowering of mood as winter sets in, for myself and some 5% of the population, our mood can drastically drop as it follows a seasonal pattern due to shorter daylight hours during the autumn and winter months. This pattern of low mood is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, most commonly referred to as “SAD”.
Although the exact causes of SAD are not fully understood, what we do know is that it most often affects sufferers during the dark cold months of winter and produces symptoms associated with depression:
There are many symptoms associated with SAD, and the effects can vary between mild and severe.
Common symptoms include:
- Negative thought patterns (feelings of sadness / hopelessness)
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
- Tiredness / fatigue
- Eating more or less
- Struggling to concentrate / lack of focus
- Avoiding social interactions (withdrawing)
- Poor sleep (oversleeping or waking up and not being able to get back to sleep)
- Physical symptoms such as headaches / body aches and pains
Common strategies and methods to assist sufferers to improve their wellbeing work by tackling one or more of the above, such as light therapy, medication or counselling, however Solution Focussed Hypnotherapy is especially affective in helping and empowering clients through trance, positive suggestions and visualisation to inspire the subconscious to:
- Think and act more positively
- Reduce stress / anxiety levels
- Improve sleep patterns
- Boost moods
- Develop coping strategies
- Encourages self-care such as diet and exercise.
When clients are more positive in their thoughts, actions and interactions, they greatly increase the feel-good positive neurotransmitters associated with positive mental health (e.g. boosting happy chemicals in the brain). They will then start to view autumn and winter months in a more positive manner, and in-turn are able to manage their SAD symptoms more effectively.