Christmas, winter, darkness, stress and depression

December through February are statistically the worst months for stress and depression.

It’s dark outside when we get up to go to work – and dark again by the time we get home. As well, Christmas holidays are coming up – and while some look forward to the break, others are worried about family conflicts, or oppositely, feel they don’t have anywhere to go.

People tend to hide or cover up their depression. Many tend to look upon their low mood as being something that is their fault – that they should be able to manage without any outside help – and that others will look down on them for not being able to control themselves. Certainly we all want to feel that we are in control, but at some time in our lives, we all feel down.

Feelings of unhappiness and discontent are as normal and natural as laughing and smiling. In some cases, we’re not expected to feel our best. For example, we might expect a strange reaction if we showed up at a funeral wearing party clothes and having brought a date along to the event!

What are the symptoms of depression?

A commonly used definition of depression is that which is published by the American Psychiatric Association in a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This book, introduced in 1952 is now in it’s 4th revision and so it’s commonly referred to as the DSM-IV.

While we can’t reproduce the entire text from the book, roughly according to the DSM-IV a depressed patient will report at least five of the following symptoms for longer than a two week period:

• Depressed mood, nearly every day during most of the day
• Diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activites
• Significant weight loss (not due to dieting), weight gain, or change in appetite
• Too much or too little sleep
• Nervous movement or lethargic reactions
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Impaired ability to concentrate or indecisiveness
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Many people feel stressed and depressed during winter and Christmas. Why? And what might help? Read on to learn more...