How to overcome the wintertime blues

For those of us in California, Mother Nature gave us a little sneak peek at springtime last week. The sun was shining, flowers in bloom and I started seeing everyone out on bikes and skates. Then today the rain came with nothing in the forecast but rain for the next several days. I started to hear everyone complain of the gray skies and how they were hoping it was the end of their 'wintertime blues.'

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) starts usually as the days get shorter and the sunlight disappears due to all those winter storms. It is estimated that millions of Americans suffer from SAD due to this loss of sunlight and often dread the winter months. The American Psychiatric Association reminds us that SAD symptoms are often similar to depression. Symptoms can include: fatigue, weight gain, sadness, irritability, social withdrawal, craving foods high in carbohydrates and lack of interest in normal activities. Individuals suffering from SAD may not experience every symptom, and severity of symptoms can vary.

In the past 20 years researchers have uncovered some effective treatments to help SAD. One of the most effective treatments is finding exactly what caused SAD to begin with - sunlight! Of course it is difficult to find natural sunlight so alternatives must be discovered. Sun boxes or special florescent lighting help stimulate the brain and can reduce symptoms.

When the wet, gloomy weather comes we tend to hole up in our homes and feel our options for activities are limited, causing feelings of boredom and sadness. The winter months are a great time to take up a new indoor hobby, remodel something inside or take a trip to a different climate. Having something to look forward to on a rainy day can keep you positive and full of energy.

Psychotherapy is also useful to help with SAD. With psychotherapy new coping skills could be learned to help with depressive symptoms. In severe cases antidepressants may be needed, but this would be something to speak with your physician about after other alternatives are tried.

If you are suffering from SAD or any other mental health illness and live in the California Central Valley please contact me for mental health assistance.

Chronic Illness - by guest author Krista Peterson

I'm always happy to be contacted by a reader who wants to be a guest author on my blog. The topic of chronic illness is especially close to my heart since I have had several close family members affected by cancer, including my father who lost his battle in 2003. I know almost everyone has been directly or indirectly affected by a chronic illness. Supporting loved ones affected by such illnesses can prove difficult.

My guest author is Krista Peterson who recently graduated the University of Central Florida and is an aspiring writer. She is also a Health and Safety Advocate for the mental health community and is passionate about writing for the cause. Thank you Krista for being such an advocate in this field, we need more people like you! Please enjoy her contribution below:

Counseling can improve home situations for many families and individuals, especially for those who are struggling with the effects of a chronic illness like cancer. When a cancer patient is diagnosed, especially if that patient is a parent, the stresses and worries of everyday life do not pause. Instead, patients must juggle being a spouse, friend, parent, employee, pet owner or whatever other relationship and occupational roles they may play.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, it may benefit you to join a support group or see an individual counselor. When choosing a counselor, be sure to weigh the negatives and positives of that choice. For example, if you seek the help of a trusted friend or minister, or even your therapist, you have the opportunity to speak openly and comfortably with someone you already know and trust. On the other hand, let’s say that you are struggling with the news of a colon cancer or mesothelioma diagnosis. You may want to speak with a cancer professional who can understand the particular needs and concerns that you have as a new cancer patient. It’s important to find a counselor that can help you with your most pressing, individual needs.

As a cancer patient, if you have children, consider the options that psychoeducational counseling offers. Programs like COPE use Creativity, Optimism, Planning, and Expert Information to work with children and teenagers who are struggling with the fact that they or their parent or loved one has a potentially fatal illness. Cope sessions focus on short-term, cancer related problems, making it easier for children to anticipate end results.

If you’re considering individual cancer counseling, you also may want to research counseling options for the rest of your family. Family counseling can help each member of your family not only to understand and express what they are experiencing as individuals, but to understand and express what’s happening as a familial unit. Family is the closest and most powerful support group that there is, and children and partners can feel just as lonely, depressed, stressed, and fearful as the cancer patients themselves. Building up a strong, untied family around a cancer patient assures a positive home environment and allows that patient to focus on healing and recovery.

Thank you again Krista for your contribution. If you are struggling with a chronic illness in the California Central Valley, please contact me for more information at csoareslcsw@gmail.com

Healthy Dieting

Summer is here and with the warm weather there is often some evaluation of our weight in preperation for swim suit season. I still hear of too many people out there doing 'crash dieting' to quickly lose 10 pounds before they hit the beach. Crash dieting, or extreme dieting that drastically reduces your calorie intake, is risky and almost never results in long term weight loss.
Perhaps you have struggled with your weight all your life, or just the past few years. You still may be wondering what are some healthy ways to diet? What is a good approach to take in evaluating your body and deciding to make some changes? Here are some tips:

1. First it is important to evaluate your height and weight. You can then come up with a loose guideline of what your BMI is and see if you are underweight, overweight or at a healthy weight. Many websites provide a BMI calculator such as the CDC. To calculate your BMI click here . The reason it is important to find out your BMI is to discover what a healthy weight range is for your height and to make sure that you are not underweight already.

2. Set realistic goals for yourself. If you are standing in line at the grocery store looking at a picture of the Olsen twins and wishing you looked like them, chances are it isn't realistic (or healthy for that matter). Don't have a magic number set in your mind that isn't attainable. Decide what you are wanting to get out of this diet plan. Is it to tone up your body? Do you want to fit into your pre-pregnancy or college clothes? Set a goal that is going to be attainable so you don't get frustrated and abandon your plan altogether. After you set a realistic goal, also set a realistic time table. Deciding to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks isn't a realistic goal in most cases. Extreme dieting (where your daily caloric intake is reduced to under 1500 calories) is very dangerous to your body and can often lead to yo-yo dieting where you lose a lot of weight only to turn around and gain it all back.

3. Don't think of this as a diet, but as a new approach to food and exercise. Often times we think of diets having a time limit. If you break out of this way of thinking and instead approach this as healthy eating and exercise you are more likely to stick with your new plan. Evaluate what has lead you to need a diet. Do you use food as a coping mechanism? Do you eat when bored, stressed, mad, sad, etc? Do you need some education on healthy eating to help you be successful? By answering questions such as these you can effectively start a healthy eating and exercise plan for yourself.

4. Always incorporate exercise into your healthy dieting plan. I often hear people say "exercise just isn't for me." Exercise doesn't have to be running or going to the gym, it can take many forms. All studies show that weight loss is most successful when healthy eating and dieting are paired together. Exercise can be swimming, water aerobics, walking with a friend, rock climbing, skiing, skating, weight lifting, or aerobics. If you think exercise is boring, consider joining a class to have some social interaction while exercising to decrease the boredom. Think outside the box and it will lead to success.

5. My final tip is to always consult your physician before starting a new eating/exercise plan. Not only is consulting a physician important for your own safety, but often times they can help you map out a successful plan. Many physicians are more than happy to help their patients develop a healthier way of life. If you live in the Fresno/Clovis area I highly recommend you consider checking in with Dr. Hayat at Avecinia Wellness Center. She runs weight management groups and takes a unique approach in utilizing a model for total wellness with her patients. She has regular weight management groups running currently, if you are interested in learning more please check out their website by clicking here.

As always, if you feel that you need further assistance in dealing with healthier coping skills or body image concerns please contact me.