Switched-On Magazine

Tis' the season for family, friends, celebrations, great food, and presents, but what else comes along with this cold weather holiday feeling, in some cases a devastating bout of depression. For many people, including teenagers, Seasonal Depression, also known as Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD) can make it hard to enjoy the this festive time of year. Many people who are already struggling with depression throughout the rest of the year may find it even harder during this time period. Researchers attribute the depressed feelings to the lack of light that occurs during the winter months.

Seasonal Affective Disorder can pose a hard time in a teenager's life. Not only will they have depressed feelings, they also can have a lack of energy, loss of sleep and appetite. All these effects can contribute to loss of participation in class, a drop in grades, and a decreased interest in hanging with friends and family. If you begin to generate any of these symptoms and they stay with you for more then a week, it may be time to talk to your parents or a doctor about what they can do to help you feel better.

What are some solutions to get out of this SAD feeling? One common doctor recommendation to help patients cope from this disorder is through treatments of artificial light. This may sound a little scientific, but it has been proven to work in many cases. Light boxes are given to patients and they are prescribed to sit in front of them for a period of time every day. Kind of like a cell phone that is loosing power, people too need to be recharged. An alternative to sitting in front of light without the chance of a great tan, you can start to engage yourself in activities. Say, ?yes? when asked to go to a holiday party, movie, or to hang out with relatives. Even if you want to say 'no? make yourself go, being around others can create positive feelings as well as a good distraction.
Another activity to try is volunteering. During the holidays there are many organizations that can use extra help. Working at a soup kitchen, playing cards with the elderly, collecting donations for a food shelf, or donating old clothes to the needy. All of these activates will not only help those in need, but can also help you return to yourself again.