If you live in a colder climate, you know it can be challenging dealing with a lack of sunlight and being stuck inside due to frigid temps during winter months. It is for these reasons many people experience what is called “the winter blues.”But seasonal depression goes much deeper than this. Also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder – or SAD – seasonal depression results in fatigue, a loss of interest in socializing and activities, weight gain and more. Symptoms usually begin to present in the ...read more
Self-Care: Holding Onto Good Mental Health After The Seasonal Depression
Seasonal depression, also referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), refers to a type of depression that relates to changes in the seasons. Most people with SAD feel symptoms come on in the fall and generally feel them all through the winter. Symptoms, which include lethargy, sadness, and general depression, usually dissipate once spring arrives. With the warmer months here, it’s a great time to get into some healthy mental habits, so you’ll be ready to fight the blues come fall. ...read more
Benefits of a Mental Health Day from Work or School
We’ve all had those days when the alarm goes off and we lie in bed, feeling depleted of our energy, and maybe even our good mood. We think to ourselves, “I’m not really sick, but I just need a break from real life today.” While taking a sick day is common when you are feeling physically unwell, what’s not as common – but perhaps should be – is taking a mental health day when you are feeling mentally and emotionally unwell.Now many, if not most, companies do offer their employees personal days ...read more
The Importance of Community for Your Mental Health
Our mental health significantly impacts our quality of life, so it makes sense that we would want to do all we can to improve it. This may include things like eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting enough quality sleep each night. But there is something else that greatly influences our mental health and that is a community and a sense of belonging. Human beings are wired for connection. When we feel connected to others, we feel loved and supported. Friends can often help alleviate ...read more
Mental Health Habits for 2021
Good mental habits for 2021 are a must! We live in a society that seems obsessed with physical health and weight loss. A majority of people have tried one or more diets to lose weight. People join gyms, juice, and take supplements, all in an effort to optimize their physical health. Sadly, most people don’t give their mental health a second thought. The problem is, no matter how good you look in a bathing suit or how “ripped” you may be, or how low your cholesterol is if you aren’t ...read more
6 Signs of Depression in Teens
Do you know the 6 signs of depression in teens? Ask any parent what their main job is and they will tell you it’s protecting their children and keeping them safe. New parents spend hours, if not days, baby-proofing the house. They research the best car seats and bike helmets and figure out ways to ensure their kids are safe online. But, no matter how hard parents work to keep their kids safe, it is very difficult to protect children against mental health issues such as depression. According to ...read more
Benefits of a Mental Health Day from Work or School
There are many benefits of a mental health day from work or school. We’ve all had those days when the alarm goes off and we lie in bed, feeling depleted of our energy, and maybe even our good mood. We think to ourselves, “I’m not really sick, but I just need a break from real life today.” While taking a sick day is common when you are feeling physically unwell, what’s not as common – but perhaps should be – is taking a mental health day when you are feeling mentally and emotionally ...read more
The Healing Power of Nature
One only needs to read a few lines from poets such as Frost, Wordsworth, and Thoreau to recognize the love for and connection to nature human beings have always had. Nature stirs our souls and imagination and brings beauty to our everyday lives. But it turns out, nature also brings a slew of benefits to our mental and physical health. The Healing Power of Nature Research is now clearly indicating that spending time outdoors can have a positive impact on our health. Whether you bike, hike, or ...read more
How to Help Children Understand a Parent’s Depression
Many parents experience clinical depression each year and it can be hard for kids to understand a parent's depression. As if the disease weren’t enough, recognizing its effects on your children can be quite painful. Studies have shown that children of depressed parents are at greater risk of not only developing depression themselves, but also of poor physical health, problems bonding, anxiety, poor self-esteem and aggressive behavior. Of course, different things will determine the severity of ...read more
How to Lovingly Parent a Depressed Child
Being a parent is the hardest job on the planet. But being a parent of a child with a mental illness can feel unbearable at times. All parents want to do what’s right for their kids, but when your child is sick, either physically or mentally, the desire to “get it right” becomes even more intense. If you are the parent of a child with depression, know there’s isn’t one “right way” to parent them. Having said that, here are some ways you can support and show you love your child on their way ...read more