How to Deal with Winter Blues

Hi everyone! Happy Spring Semester! Hope everybody's first two weeks of classes went (mostly) smoothly and that nobody feels like they're being repeatedly run over by a truck because of the amount of work they have. Yet.

This week on Survival Guide I'm going to open up a discussion about tips on dealing with a Massachusetts winter (especially for those students who originally hail from warm and tropical climates), and dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder--something that I deal with as well.

As college students living in Boston, we all have to bear with the cold basically all year round. While Fall semester begins all warm and sunny, by Halloween we're all bundling up in winter coats and layers. And while Spring semester has a promising end with summer right around the corner, it begins with snowstorms and icy grounds. Therefore, knowing how to battle the icy cold winds and dark sky by 4 pm is very important because while winter is fun with all the fuzzy socks and hot chocolate with marshmallows, and the pretty snow while we're inside the warmth of the heater in our apartments...walking to class with leaking, red noses and wind blasting in our faces making our eyes water is not so much fun.

Here are a few basic tips for dealing with a Boston Winter:

~Layer up. Prepare to look like an over-grown but cute toddler waddling around. Also, understand that trying to brave it by wearing shorts is not courageous, it's just stupid. (I'm not making this up--there's always that one person on the way to class who's walking only in shorts and a hoodie in 28 degrees). This is NOT OKAY, unless you're trying to get sick and/or frostbite.

~Always have chapstick and hand-lotion in your coat pockets or bags. Winter = dry skin and lips all the time and moisturizing is key to not look like you're about to literally crack open any minute. And apart from not looking good, more importantly it hurts!

~Always, always check the weather before you leave your house. There's nothing worse than being halfway to your destination and realizing you're under-dressed and shivering, and all feeling has left your body. There are multiple weather apps you can download and get a pretty much accurate account of how cold it is outside in just a few seconds.

Here is a comprehensive list of recommended appropriate clothing that you should adhere to.

Boston Winter Clothing 101-- here's the key to surviving winter- layering up.

~Cotton T-shirts or long sleeves- this is the first layer, so you won't get sweaty under all the other layers.

~Sweaters- this is your second layer. Have a range of light to heavy coverage so you can vary your internal heat based on the weather.

~Boots and socks- Invest in a good pair of winter boots that will last you for years to come.

~One great winter coat. Shirts and sweaters will come and go, but a good winter coat will sustain you against the weather for a long, long time. Spend a little extravagant money on a good coat because trust me, it'll be worth it.

~Scarves, hat, gloves/mittens- while these fall under the "accessories" category of winter clothing, these are very important. A good quality trio of these will be the difference between cold and frostbite.

~Rain gear- freezing rain is most definitely a thing, so having a good pair of waterproof boots and a durable umbrella to achieve year round dryness.

One thing to remember is that the end goal of this post is to reassure you that as long as you have appropriate winter apparel, the cold won't be a thing to fear but a thing to embrace/tolerate.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a category of depression that emerges due to changing weather conditions during certain times of the year. For example, the most common type of SAD occurs for most people during the fall-winter time of the year. Another time SAD symptoms are noticed during the spring/summer time. To be diagnosed with SAD, people must meet full criteria for major depression coinciding with specific seasons (appearing in the winter or summer months) for at least 2 years.

The Symptoms

~Heaviness in arms and legs

~Frequent oversleeping

~Changes in appetite

~Feelings of worthlessness/hopelessness

~Having difficulty concentrating

~Losing interest in things you once enjoyed

~Having thoughts about self-harm and/suicide (however this is a sign of major depression)

* the suicide text line, which is available and responsive 24/7, is 741-741...more resources are available at the end of the post.

Symptoms of Fall/Winter SAD

Symptoms specific to winter-onset SAD, sometimes referred to as "winter depression" include:

~Oversleeping

~Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates

~Weight gain

~Tiredness or low energy

~Social withdrawal (feel like "hibernating")

Symptoms of Spring/Summer SAD

Symptoms specific to summer-onset SAD, sometimes referred to as "summer depression" include:

~Trouble sleeping (insomnia)

~Poor appetite

~Weight loss

~Agitation or anxiety

~Episodes of violent behavior

Causes: How does SAD even happen?

The specific cause of seasonal affective disorder remains unknown. Some factors that may come into play include:

~Your biological clock (circadian rhythm)- the decreased sunlight levels can disrupt your internal body clock and cause depression to set in.

~Serotonin levels- a drop in serotonin levels (a neurotransmitter in your brain) that affects mood, might play a role in SAD. Reduced sunlight causes a drop in serotonin levels that triggers depression.

~Melatonin levels- the change in season can cause change in melatonin levels, a hormone that regulates sleep patterns

Risk Factors

Attributes that increase risk of SAD include:

~Being female- women are 4 times as likely to be diagnosed with SAD as compared to men

~Living far from the equator- SAD is more frequent in people who live far north or far south of the equator. For example, in the United States, 1% of those who live in Florida and 9% of those who live in Alaska experience SAD.

~Family history- people with a family history (i.e, have blood relatives) suffering from any form of depression are more likely to develop SAD as compared to people with no family history of depression

~Having depression or bipolar disorder-The symptoms of depression may worsen with the seasons if you have one of these conditions (but SAD is diagnosed only if seasonal depressions are the most common)

~Younger age- Younger adults have a higher risk of SAD than older adults. SAD has been reported even in children and teens

Treatments and Therapies

There are 4 major types treatment for SAD:

1. Medication- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to treat SAD. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved the use of bupropion, another type of antidepressant, for treating SAD.

2. Light Therapy- the idea behind light therapy is to replace the diminished sunshine of the fall and winter months using daily exposure to bright, artificial light. Symptoms of SAD may be relieved by sitting in front of a light box first thing in the morning, on a daily basis from the early fall until spring.

3. Psychotherapy- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is type of psychotherapy that is effective for SAD. CBT relies on basic techniques such as identifying negative thoughts and replacing them with more positive thoughts along with a technique called behavioral activation.

4. Vitamin D- At present, vitamin D supplementation by itself is not regarded as an effective SAD treatment. The reason behind its use is that low blood levels of vitamin D were found in people with SAD. The low levels are usually due to insufficient dietary intake or insufficient exposure to sunshine.

Resources offered at UMass Boston

Counseling Center: UMB has their own Counseling Center located on the 2nd floor of the Quinn Admin building. Their hours run Mon-Wed from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Thu and Fri from 8:3- AM to 5:00 PM. Their 24/7 counseling support contact info is 617.287.5690

Public Safety: The Department of Public Safety is committed to provide a safe and protected environment at UMass Boston. Their emergency contact info is 617.287.1212

911: It goes without saying that in a case of extreme emergency and immediate medical support, please immediately call 911 for help.

Websites Used

This is a sort of bibliography of the sites I used in case anyone wants to vet the information from this post, or if anyone wants additional info:

~ The National Institute of Mental Health

~ Psycom

~ Mayo Clinic