Trailtalk

Trailtalk

Depression

Are you SAD? When the seasons change, so do our moods

by

If you are more sluggish and cranky than usual these last few weeks, it could be related to the shorter days, less exposure to sunlight, and colder temperatures. 

A 2008 study by J. Denison and colleagues looked at how temperature, wind power, sunlight, day length, precipitation, and air pressure affected mood. Over 1,000 people completed online diaries he linked with weather station data. The researchers determined changes in temperature, wind, and sunlight had negative effects on mood. Seems obvious to those of us with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  Waking up in the dark makes it harder to get out of bed. The snooze alarms on our phones work overtime during this time of year.  Shorter days cause high carb food cravings. Many of us start packing on the pounds as winter approaches. Holiday food feasts add insult to injury.

We, humans, fall out of emotional wellness during stressful life events. Much like getting a physical illness. Our immune systems get overwhelmed by a virus and we fall ill. We aren’t necessarily terminally ill but we need help and support with our recovery back to wellness.  It’s the same with our changing moods. The continuation of COVID’s social distancing and other restrictions has compounded has tipped the scale where our stressors overwhelm our coping strategies. Trailtalk’s Rocketman knows that fear resides in the past (would of, could of, should of thinking) and in the future (creating outcomes, worst-case scenario thinking).  We all fall out of balance when we thoughts time travel.  Living in the present moment, mindfully is where we find our baseline level of contentment.

Like Malcolm Gladwell says in his book, The Tipping Point, it’s all about time at task. We have to practice changing our thinking if we want to change how we feel and act. See your therapist if you want to learn about the think, feel, act cycle. Some of us need more than therapy during the changes of season. If you have a family history of depression and anxiety, contact your medical provider for additional support.

Here are a few TIPS from the TRAIL to help with SAD:

1. Try adding additional light to your morning routine for 20-30 minutes. Get a SAD Therapy LightBox. Look for a lightbox 10,000-lux light that is specifically used for seasonal affective disorder. We have a couple listed on our website store. Check Costco and Amazon. The key is to use it daily. Talk to your medical provider or therapists if you need help choosing the right light box for your morning routine.

2. Take extra Vitamin D. Ask your medical provider for a simple blood test before you start a supplement, so you know how much to take every day. Even if you are an avid outdoors person, the use of sunscreen prevents us from absorbing adequate amounts of Vitamin D.  Low vitamin D means low serotonin, which means low mood.

3. Get a Carhartt jacket or other type of warm snow clothes, a pair of yaktraxs, boot heaters, hand warmers, and hit the trails!  According to the Scandinavians, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, it’s just bad clothing.”

4. Find an accountability partner who will be waiting on you to slip on the snow boots and meet them outside. Walking and talking in nature heals. Move your body and clear your mind.

If adding light therapy to your morning routine, taking vitamin D, getting outdoors every day for even 30 minutes doesn’t lift your mood, seek out an emotional tuneup with a therapist. Weather changes can affect our moods, but some of us have depression and mood shifting all year round. Get help and make this season brighter for you and your loved ones.

Peace, love, health, and hope to you during this season of change,

The Emotional Sherpa

References:

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/seasonal-affective-disordeDenissen, Jaap J. A.; Butalid, Ligaya; Penke, Lars; van Aken, Marcel A. G.

Emotion, Vol 8(5), Oct 2008, 662-667. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0013497

The Way is was, not The Way I planned

by

a9175030-440c-4e6a-9d80-08d4d789cb7b-thumbnail

Ever notice how life has a way of changing things up on you without asking? Have you ever had a well thought out plan go very wrong? Like you’re minding your own business and BAMM, something outrageous happens? You name the Life Event.  Most of us have been hit by at least one or maybe several of these life changing stressors by now.

Money, good looks, nor physical strength can shield us from these most unfortunate events. They cross all socioeconomic, and cultural borders. Who ever said life is fair? Life sometimes down right sucks. On the other hand, life can be taken away from us without warning.

Come on Allison, why such a depressing blog post? Well, let me tell ya’ (can you hear my John Wayne impersonation?) As many of you recall (that is if you are actually reading my blog) the Emotional Sherpa stepped off his original path searching for his TRUE SELF, and landed in a foreign country. His backpack was filled with supplies he needed for his planned adventure, which was not the adventure that happened. Not even close. Did you know, in a pinch, a silk sleeping bag liner can double as a beautiful Spanish shawl? Just picture it. Creativity is a must if you want to be a TRUE adventurer.

OK, so here’s a brief account of the most unfortunate events encountered by the Emotional Sherpa (EM) this last month. Like Alice through the looking glass, what a bizarre turn of events for the EM. The Way (El Camino) was well planned out. The Emotional Sherpa wanted to complete this 500 mile Pilgrimage. Life had an entirely different plan and gave the EM what he needed not what he wanted. The Sherpa needed to unplug, reboot, and recharge. EM did not need to walk under the pretense of resting. It took pretty much an act of God to take that Sherpa’s shoes off, and put his feet up in a resting position. And that’s what the Emotional Sherpa did. Control is an illusion you know.

Mary Oliver’s poem, Tripping Over Joy sums up The Way I needed it, not The WAY I wanted it.

Tripping Over Joy

~ Mary Oliver

“What is the difference between your experience with Existence and that of a Saint?

The Saint know that the spiritual path is a sublime chess game with God, and the Beloved has just made a Fantastic Move, that Saint is now continually tripping over joy, and bursting out in laughter, and saying, ” I surrender!”

Whereas, my dear, I am afraid you still think you have a thousand serious moves.”

That being said, here are a few Tips from the Trail for those of you who like to Bushwhack their way through the woods when you’d be better off sticking to the trail:

  1. Know these fundamental words and phrases in the mother tongue of the foreign land you enter: help, please and thank you, pain, hot and cold, where’s the bathroom/wash closet?, can I have some privacy please?, do that to me again and I will kill you, more coffee please, where’s the closest ATM?, take me to your leader. Fuck is a universal word. No translation needed. And, I tried the phrase, “take me to your leader” and it didn’t work. Still worth knowing this phrase in different languages anyway. Also, web based translation apps are awesome when you have access to wifi. Wifi is not a given. Just sayin….
  2. Clicking your heels 3 times and repeating, ” There’s no place like home” does not work. I tried it. I am so pissed at Judy Garland for lying to me year after year. Seek therapy if you, too have PTSD symptoms related to childhood trauma. What I am going to do is change up my Polyanna way of being and take on a more Columbo like mode of operation. It’ll be a subtle change for those of you who like my Polyanna world view.
  3. Never let a loved one go to the hospital alone, especially in a foreign country. Medical advocacy is a must. Make friends with nurses, and doctors, and other health professionals if you don’t have them in your inner circle already. Just like many of us going to get our cars serviced. When you don’t know what their talking about, it’s easy to just let “the expert” do their thing. Trust me. Make friends with medically trained people, and question and challenge every procedure, diagnosis, and treatment plan. Share your wheel house with your friends and family, and access the wheelhouses of those with medical training.
  4. Heard of Advanced Directives? Learn about them, read the fine print, discuss your wishes with your children if appropriate, and have them in writing. It’s a very lucky child who’s parents have put their affairs in order while they are still of sound mind and body. Luckier, if everything is paid for in advance! Sounds morbid and uncomfortable to discuss when mom and dad seem fine, and at the same time very important conversations to have in advance of an unexpected, unfortunate event.
  5. Lastly, remember, “Every single day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated. Therefore, live everyday as if it would be your last. Those who dare lose a day are dangerously prodigal; those who dare misspend it are desperate. ” ~ Joseph Hall.

See, Hear, Feel, Smell and Touch this day.

Happy trails to you and yours, Allison

Save

Save

Save

Save

Does your mood change with the Seasons?

by

I’m as cold as ICE!

Does your mood change with the weather? If you are more sluggish and cranky than usual, it could be related to the shorter days, less exposure to sunlight, and colder temperatures.

A 2008 study by J. Denison and colleagues looked at how temperature, wind power, sunlight, day length, precipitation, and air pressure effected mood. Over 1,000 people completed online diaries he linked with weather station data. The full research article is listed below. The researchers determined changes in temperature, wind, and sunlight had negative effects on mood. Seems obvious to those of us with seasonal affect disorder (SAD).  Once it’s darker in the mornings, many of us struggle getting out of bed. Those shorter days cause high carb food cravings, and we start packing on the pounds. Our Thanksgiving and Christmas food fests add insult to injury. No wonder we feel down. Ugh! What to do?

Here are a few  TIPS from the TRAIL to break this insidious cycle:

1. Get a SAD Therapy Light. Amazon has a ton of choices. Adding some additional light to your morning routine might improve the quality of your winter days.

2. Take extra Vitamin D. Ask your medical provider for a simple blood test first so you know how much to take everyday. Even if you are an avid outdoors person, the use of sunscreen prevents us  from absorbing adequate amounts of Vitamin D.  Low vitamin D means low seratonin, which means low mood.

3. Get a Carhartt or other type of warm snow clothes, a pair of yaktraxs, boot heaters, hand warmers,  and hit the trails! Grab a friend as you go out the door. According to the Scandinavians, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, it’s just bad clothing.”

4. If adding light therapy to your morning routine, taking vitamin D, getting outdoors everyday for even 30 minutes doesn’t lift your mood, consider seeing your medical provider and/or a therapist. Weather changes can effect our moods, but some of us have depression and mood shifting all year round. Get help and make this season brighter for you and your loved ones.

Peace, love, health, and hope to you this winter. And, happy trails,  Allison

Reference:

Denissen, Jaap J. A.; Butalid, Ligaya; Penke, Lars; van Aken, Marcel A. G.
Emotion, Vol 8(5), Oct 2008, 662-667. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0013497

Grieving during the Holidays

by

This holiday season is different for some of us. There’s an empty chair at the end of the table this year. Our hearts are hemorrhaging. We can’t stop crying.

How do we grieve during the holidays? How do we find joy when all we can think of is how much we miss our dad, brother, husband, wife, or friend?

It’s such a mix of emotions. Anger, fear, sadness, and anxiety all at once are just too much to handle.

There are a lot of resources on the Internet suggesting ways to survive the holidays after loss of a loved one. Today’s Tips from the Trail offers up a couple of those ideas.

 

1. Give yourself and others permission to grieve. Trying to hold it together only makes things worse. Open up the dialog instead of dancing around the Elephant in the room. Talk about the “Empty chair” at the dinner table.

 

2. Create a new tradition to honor your loved one. Plant a tree, hang a stocking, or donate time to his/her favorite charity.

 

3. Seek counsel, find a support group. Grieving is a process. It’s different for everyone. There’s no time-table.

 

4. Self care is most important right now. Sleep, eat good food, get outside every day, and allow yourself plenty of down time.

 

Words can’t take away your pain. Grief has to happen. Allow it to pass through you.

 

Peace, love, health, and hope to you and yours, Allison.

 

Are you SAD? Tis’ the Season for Seasonal Affect Disorder

by

                                                         Seasonal Affect Disorder  (SAD)

Seasonal affect disorder is just that, a seasonal pattern of depression. Some of us feel down only during changes of seasons, while others of us experience recurrent depressive episodes compounded by SAD.  Imagine wearing one of those X-ray protective aprons all day long. SAD feels lead-like to many sufferers.

Depression is similar to asthma in that it’s a spectrum disorder, and looks different on everyone. Some of us have exercise induced asthma, while others need daily inhaled steroids to manage their asthma.  Depression, like asthma, is an illness that comes and goes with seasons, exacerbates with exposure to triggers, and sometimes improves with regular medication use.  It’s not predictable.  Some flare ups last hours, and other episodes can last for weeks. Both depression and asthma have a way of showing up uninvited.

The symptoms of SAD include: trouble waking up in the morning, sleeping too much (or not enough), craving carbs, gaining weight, feeling sad, irritable, and/or edgy.

SAD is distressing for our loved ones as well, especially if they grew up hearing, “pull yourself up from your bootstraps.” Feeling depressed, or even talking about how we feel isn’t an option for some of us.  The unfair stigma attached to depression prevents many of us from getting much needed help.

Here a few Tips from the Trail for those with SAD, and for our loved ones.

Tips for Family members:

1. Update yourself on the current depression research.  Some of us are blessed with the capacity to quickly adapt back to an EVEN mood after suffering an emotional set back.  If it were that easy for all of us, this discussion wouldn’t be necessary.

2. Talk with your partner or friend about what works and doesn’t work regarding how they want your support.  And, let them know what would help you feel connected with them when they are feeling depressed.

Tips from the Trail for those struggling from SAD:

1. Understand that depression is a part of you.  You are not depression. You have depression. Get the difference? Talk to your therapist about this distinction.

2.  Invest in a light therapy bar. Check out this link  for more information. Start your morning sitting in front of your light for 30 minutes.

3.  Get a physical and blood work done every year to make sure you have no underlying medical condition contributing to your low mood.

4. Exercise, practice good sleep hygiene, and get into some daily routines.  Notice if you are self medicating more than usual. If so,  you might want to add in weekly therapy appointments.

I hope these tips help you find some joy as Fall moves into Winter.

Peace to you and yours, Allison

Physical Self

by

I like humor as you might have guessed from reading and watching the self-image video clip on my last post. Humor is a great defense mechanism for many of us. We’ll be talking about defenses and coping strategies in the future.

I wanted to encourage discussion about our physical selves. Physical health problems can mimic, cause, or exacerbate mental health problems. Mood changes, depression, low energy, anxiety, insomnia, irritation, and memory loss can be caused by physical illnesses. As health care consumers, we need to know some things about our bodies.

The following information might be common knowledge to a segment of readers. But, for those who aren’t medically oriented or familiar with disease prevention strategies, here’s a list of things to know about your body.

  1. Family history.  What kinds of physical and mental health issues run in your family? We can’t pick our genes, but we can influence how those genes are expressed.
  2. Blood pressure. Know what your numbers are, especially if you have a family history of heart disease. Below 120/80 is the current recommendation.
  3. Thyroid function.  Hypo or hyperthyroidism mimics many mental health conditions. The blood tests to ask for include TSH and Free T4. It’s worth a Google search before you see your medical doctor to help you understand the basics of the thyroid gland.
  4. Vitamin D. This is also a popular topic worth investigating. Low levels can cause depression, fatigue and bone density loss. The blood test to request is called 25(OH) D. Here are a couple of websites that offer information about vitamin D.
  5. Age appropriate health screening tests. Certain screening tests are recommended at different ages. These health screening guidelines change if you have a family history of a particular health problem.  Here’s a link describing basic screenings for various age groups.

When you see a mental health therapist, he/she will want to rule out any medical conditions that might be causing your emotional symptoms. Sometimes when a physical illness is corrected the mental health problem is as well. It’s worth getting a clean bill of physical health before  you seek mental health therapy.

What’s been your experience with physical illness impacting your  mental health?

Information provided on this site is meant to complement and not replace  advice or information from your primary medical provider.