As we feel the Spring season slowly creeping up, most of us couldn’t be happier for warm weather and lots of sun. KREM also understands how tough winter can be on New Englander’s and how seasonal depression can seriously take a toll. Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD is very real and can rear its ugly head here every winter.
The lessening of daylight and seasonal changes can trigger a chemical change in the brain leading to symptoms of depression. This form of depression occurs the same time every year – and when untreated can make people suffer tremendously. Researchers found that Melatonin, a sleep related hormone, is linked to SAD. The body naturally makes more melatonin when it is dark, so during the winter months more melatonin is made.
While all that is true – there IS help! There are methods such as light therapy and medications that can aid these depressive feelings. If you’re having feelings of extreme fatigue, loss of interest and pleasure in activities formerly enjoyed, social withdrawal, anxiety, loss of focus, or a foggy mind you may be suffering from SAD.
Kingston REM wants our supporters to know we also support them! And we care. We want to help anyone going through seasonal affective disorder to get help and begin a path to healing.
Below are some local resources our customers can refer to if needed. There are many avenues, holistic, traditional, medicine, light therapy, talk therapy and much more.
Holistic Resources:
E Shan Tang, https://www.eshantang.com/
Light Therapy:
CryoMed Boston, https://www.cryomedboston.com/infrared-sauna-led-light-therapy
Counseling Resources:
Songbird Counseling, https://www.songbirdcounselingllc.com/
