When the fall depression hits!

Psychologists or psychotherapists classify autumn depression as a malaise associated with autumn weather and withering of nature. One in three of us is affected by this malaise.

What signs can help you know if you or someone you love has fall depression?

As a rule, patients themselves characterize the symptoms with one word - moping. Specialists identify several signs of moping: unstable (in most cases, bad) mood, fixation on certain events or situations, reduced mental and physical activity. A person feels rejection and rejection of the surrounding reality, and because of restraint (no strength to show emotions), loses the joy of life.

In addition, the sufferer of autumn depression is characterized by tearfulness, depression, pessimistic outlook, fatigue and laziness, sleep disturbance (either drowsiness or insomnia) and loss of appetite. The person loses all ability to work.

What triggers fall depression?

1. Exacerbation of chronic diseases, back and joint pain, headaches and heartaches. As a rule, there is a peak of these phenomena in the fall.
2. Shortened daylight hours and cloudy weather. These factors minimize the body's consumption of solar energy, which means that the body produces the hormone melanin, provoking large quantities of the very moping. And the gray landscape outside the window does not contribute to the emergence of joyful emotions.
3. Autumn is the season that concludes the life cycle, the time to count achievements and losses. As a rule, people are dissatisfied with the way they have lived the year, feel like miserable losers, and as a result, the psyche goes from apathy to bitterness.
4. Inadequate sleep and non-compliance with the sleep and rest regime. Constant fatigue leads to the fact that a person has little time, people around him are usually dissatisfied. Living in a constant stressful situation leads to depression.
5. Autumn depression is susceptible to people who have a genetic predisposition to this disease. The peculiarities of the nervous system lead to the fact that, for example, women suffer from this disease more often than men.

Autumn depression usually runs in a mild form - a person is sad, sad, but soon finds a reason for cheerfulness and everything becomes normal.

But sometimes this disease takes a terrible form, a person has "seasonal" suicidal thoughts. In this case, to postpone consultation with a psychotherapist is like death, and sometimes - in the truest sense of the word.

How to fight fall depression on your own?

1. Keep your self-esteem at the right level! Make a list of your skills and achievements, read the list regularly, remember the state of emotional uplift that you experienced with each victory in life.
2. Stimulate positive emotions with paints and colors. Yellow and orange colors in clothes, interior, on the computer screen saver will be an excellent color therapy. And if you place a vase with citrus fruits on the table, you will be provided with aromatherapy.
3. Light and fresh air are your true friends. Catch every ray of sunshine, make sure your house is well lit. Take a walk every day - your dog will be a good leader of your walks.
4. Read jokes, watch comedies and humor shows. Laughter provokes the restoration of vitality, this is proven by science.
5. Have sex. The hormone of happiness and pleasure endorphin will make any depression retreat before a slight euphoria.
6. Try to diversify your daily experiences: go to the premiere of a movie or play, and if possible, take a vacation or a few days off and go on a trip.
7. Find joy in the foods you eat. No, we are not talking about sweets or gluttony. Drink tincture of eleutherococcus, decoction of Chinese lemongrass or rose hips, collections of tonic herbs. Eat a lot of vegetables, buy a multivitamin complex in the pharmacy. In the morning, instead of tea or coffee, invigorate yourself with a contrast shower, gymnastics or dancing, a walk.
8. Look for the "charm of autumn" - learn to enjoy the purple leaves, the opportunity to go for mushrooms and other autumn joys.

But not always and not every person can get out of seasonal depression on their own, and if you are "covered" and you can not cope on your own, you should not delay. You should sign up for psychotherapy. Otherwise, the more often and longer a person with such symptoms is in this unpleasant state, the more difficult and expensive it is to get rid of the cyclical repetition of fall depression.

📌 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is fall depression and how is it different from regular moping?
   Autumn depression is a seasonal affective disorder associated with shorter daylight hours and changes in biorhythms. Unlike normal moping, it can cause severe sleep, appetite and mood disturbances.
2. What symptoms indicate fall depression?
   Symptoms include persistent fatigue, drowsiness, decreased mood, loss of interest in usual activities, increased appetite (especially cravings for carbohydrates) and difficulty concentrating.
3. What are the main causes of fall depression?
   The main causes are shortened daylight hours, lack of sunlight, which leads to decreased production of serotonin and vitamin D, and changes in the body's circadian rhythms.
4. How to deal with fall depression on your own?
   It is recommended to follow a sleep schedule, engage in physical activity, spend more time outdoors, use light therapy, eat right and maintain social contacts.
5. When should I see a specialist?
   If symptoms persist for more than two weeks, become more severe, or interfere with daily life, it is recommended to see a psychologist or psychiatrist for professional help.