Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Really a Thing?
Here is my take on SAD~
We travel so slowly it seems, in Life. Especially when the sky is gloomy, and aches appear out of nowhere. Sometimes we let that heavy feeling drench over us. These are not times of self-pity. Rather, times that need to be felt. Sometimes we are not paying attention to what is happening in the world, and we need to feel it.
Be still. Be by yourself. Breathe deeply and fill your soul with the atmosphere of despair. It will give you insight. You will receive wisdom. Stand with it. It's alright.
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According to the AI Google (My take on it is below…)
“Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the fall and winter:
Symptoms
SAD symptoms include mood changes and can be distressing and overwhelming. They usually occur during the fall and winter months and improve with the arrival of spring.
Causes
The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it's thought that shorter days and less daylight may:
Disrupt your body's internal clock
Stop the hypothalamus from working properly
Affect the production of melatonin and serotonin
Treatments
Treatments for SAD include:
Psychotherapy
Antidepressant medication
Vitamin D
Light therapy
Light therapy aims to expose people with SAD to a bright light to make up for the diminished natural sunlight in darker months. You can purchase a light box for your home.
Prevention
You can try to expose yourself to at least five to 10 minutes of natural sunlight a day.
SAD is more common in: People living farther north, Women than in men, and younger people.”
** I am aware that many people do suffer from SAD, especially when it affects the physical makeup of the body and other emotional upsets exacerbates the overwhelm. So I know it exists.
We Are Inextricably Tied to Mother Earth
We just cannot get away from it. Humans are part of the Earth Experience. We exist because Nature exists. We grow and flourish, expand and then die down. All of life does that.
We are deeply rooted in the Earth’s consciousness, a truly unique and sacred position. It’s only natural that we will feel and experience all that the world has to offer.
In Earth’s Wisdom, the winter months are a time of slowing down and dying down. We slow down, the animals know to sustain self, to hibernate, to conserve energy. Plantlife goes dormant.
It is a slower time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we might go. It’s a time to conserve energy in order to prepare for Nature’s Awakening.
Nature’s Winter is a time of struggle and beauty. It signals the end of a long productive year. Plants shut down making food, animals migrate to warmer climates and humans snuggle up and stay indoors.
Winter can also be beautiful. It is a time to experience the stillness of the frozen air. It brings a strange crackle and silence, and the birdsong sounds more inspiring.
We are in the Total Release. No way to escape the Environment of Our World. Plants, trees, fish, waters, animals and soil all relinquish themselves to the flow of Nature.
Why should we fight it? We know the ebb and flow of life. It has worked for millions of years.
Stillness can reset our internal being, whether it is physical infirmity, emotional upheaval, or the microcosm reflecting the macrocosm of life. Recognizing that we need time to rest and recuperate gives us a chance to honor the process of living. We don’t live solely in a bubble but blend our energies with all of Nature.
Walking in nature can begin the reset. It gives us a chance to ponder who we are. Just a 10–15-minute walk can refresh us. Several times a week the nature walk can become a regular, relished practice. It opens us to other slowed-down events, such as reading, cooking or baking, and preparing a fireplace for the evening.
These are the times we nourish ourselves with luxurious baths, a massage, planning all natural meals or cuddling with a loved one for a movie.
The late morning sunrise and early evening sunset reminds us that this is the time all things rest. Hustle and bustle do not fit that life right now. If there are party invitations and family dinners, then pick and choose the ones you will enjoy the most. Don’t try to go to all of them.
NOTE: The information in this article is not intended as a substitute for medical or psychiatric care. It is not meant for diagnosis or treatment. If you have any physical, mental or emotional problems, please consult with your health care practitioner.
My Affirmation: I welcome life as it presents itself to me. I no longer struggle but take each step on my path to fulfillment with faith and abandon. I do not need to fight the flow of life as I have nothing to prove. I continue to be Light, even during times of hardship. I know all things will fall into place for my own greater good. And for the Good of All.
I have found over the years, that following the seasons is a natural thing. In fact, I prefer celebrating the season changes instead of the holidays. It just seems easier and more calming. Be sure to evaluate how you feel in the Winter, and darker moments of the year, then adjust accordingly. There were times that I needed to self-care and rest. It’s normal for you to do that too.
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Melissa Leath writes A Mystics Journal on Substack. She supplies outrageous metaphysical babble/rant from a modern-day mystic's viewpoint and provides workshops about empowerment and psychic/metaphysical development. Her books Psychic Integrity, The Respected Practice of Modern-Day Mystics (Balboa Press, division of Hay House Publishing) and Does Your Child See Sparkles? are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Melissa’s long-term study includes years of group development, platform mediumship, meditation, becoming a spiritual medium and minister and a BA in Metaphysical Counseling. She has worked with 10s of thousands of clients in USA and other countries, taught development classes for 12 years and settled into online workshops.
Please contact Melissa at melisssaleath@gmail.com.