Managing Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that occurs when weather and daylight changes, mainly triggered by winter, make you feel blue.

Although it’s not clear why people get this condition, some believe that the changes in the weather and daylight can affect the body’s circadian rhythm, which is the 24-hour clock that controls our function during waking hours and sleeping.

One theory suggests that the changing seasons can disrupt the production of certain hormones, such as melatonin and serotonin, which regulate mood and sleep. Here are some things that 

Meet With Your Doctor

Individuals suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) should be referred to a mental health specialist. A psychiatrist can perform various screening tests to identify people with this condition.

Prepare During the Fall

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, you must take some time to prepare your mind for the upcoming changes.

According to psychologist Kim Burgess, Ph.D., regular exercise can help people feel better about themselves and their mental health.

Use a Light Box

Exposure to artificial light can help people with seasonal affective disorder by maintaining their circadian rhythm. A 2017 review published in the Einstein Journal of Medicine and Biology suggested that this therapy is a first-line treatment.

The Mayo Clinic noted that phototherapy boxes, also referred to as phototherapy devices, can help people with seasonal affective disorder. These devices emit light that’s similar to sunlight.

According to the clinic, people who use a light box for around 20 to 30 minutes a day can experience a chemical change in their brain that can help them feel better.

The clinic also noted that people should use a light box within the hour following their morning wake-up.

Although these types of light therapy boxes are generally considered safe and effective, they’re not regulated by the FDA in the US.

Consider Getting a Dawn Simulator

Some people with this condition can benefit from a dawn simulator, an alarm clock that produces light comparable to the intensity of sunlight.

Although there are various types of dawn simulator models, the best ones use a light close to natural sunlight. In 2015, a study revealed that these devices can be effective for people suffering from mild seasonal affective disorder.

Ask About Antidepressants

According to experts, if psychotherapy or light therapy doesn’t completely alleviate the symptoms of seasonal depression, then antidepressants may be helpful.

People with this condition usually need to take antidepressants until spring. According to psychologist Ania Kalayjian, it’s essential to identify when the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) start.

This article was originally posted on Herrick Lipton’s website.

Supporting Children Through Depression

Being prepared for situations that may arise is very important as a parent. One of the most critical steps you can take is making sure that your child’s mental health is taken seriously. According to a study, about 12.8% of adolescents in the US have experienced major depression. Here are a few steps that you can take to identify if your child is experiencing depression.

Warning Signs

During adolescence, there are many phases that kids go through. It can be hard to tell when their behavior is becoming more severe or when they might start experiencing mood swings. Identifying the warning signs of depression is the first step in helping your child get better.

Some warning signs can include:

-Low Self-Esteem

-Lack of Interest

-Changing in Eating Habits

Getting Help

There are multiple ways to help your child, such as talking to their pediatrician, getting in touch with mental health services, and researching online. Although it’s essential not to ignore the signs of depression, it’s also necessary to give your child the necessary support and resources to fight it.

Emotional Support

Having the support of the family is very important for your child’s development. It can help build a strong base for them in their social relationships. Having that family support can help build a strong foundation for your child’s trust. Talking about their problems and concerns can help you identify potential warning signs.

Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle can help the symptoms of depression be more manageable. It can also help prevent the development of mental health issues in the first place. Some healthy lifestyle options can include exercising, eating healthy, and getting sleep. 

Staying Connected

One of the main symptoms of depression is isolation, which can worsen the effects of depression if not taken care of sooner than later. Not getting the social interaction that a regular child needs can be damaging. Unfortunately, it can be challenging for kids to connect with new people due to their limited social skills. 

Maintaining a positive relationship with people can help a child feel better about themselves. However, it’s important to remember that loneliness won’t go away. Being prepared to react and alert to any signs of depression can help keep the situation under control.

This article was originally published on Herrick Lipton’s website.

The Science of Dreaming

Dreaming is thought to be a universal part of the human experience. Dreams can be unremarkable and unmemorable. They can perplex, bring joy, or even terrify. Sometimes they recur for years on end. Some people even feel haunted by their dreams.

For as long as people have been dreaming, they’ve been trying to figure out the meaning, purpose, and process behind dreams. The meaning and purpose remain a mystery, though there are many often competing theories. However, there are some answers as to how dreaming occurs.

To understand how dreams work, it is important to understand the basics of how sleep works. Sleep occurs in a total of four stages and two types.

Stage one is light, short sleep. Eye movement is slow and theta waves happen in the brain. In stage two, the muscles in the body relax. The brain experiences rhythmic waves called sleep spindles, and short high-amplitude waves called K-complexes. In stage three, the brain experiences delta waves and responds less to outside forces, making it harder for a person to be woken up. These three stages make up the first the of sleep, called non-rapid eye movement sleep. Stage three is the deepest stage of NREM sleep.

Stage four is the most active stage of sleep and the stage where most dreams occur. It is called REM sleep, after its primary characteristic, rapid eye movements. Eye movements aren’t the only source of activity during this stage. A brain in REM sleep is as active as an awake brain. There are also physiological changes in breathing, heart rate, body temperature regulation, and blood pressure during this stage. It is possible to also dream during NREM sleep, but those dreams tend to be less vivid and less memorable than dreams during REM sleep.

There are some people, approximately 1 in 250, who claim that they do not dream at all. It is believed that most of these people dream and simply don’t remember it. This lack of memory could be due to the hippocampus, the portion of the brain responsible for memory creation and retention, being less active during sleep. It could also be due to changes in levels of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and norepinephrine that occur during sleep.

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.net

Passive Aggressive Phrases to Avoid

Passive-aggressive language may feel like you are saying the right thing by disguising how you really feel. Unfortunately, it does more harm than good when people pick up on your true feelings. Using certain phrases can also chip away at your loved one’s self-esteem while making them question your honesty. Watching out for these common passive-aggressive phrases helps you to communicate more clearly.

“I Don’t Want to Be Rude, But…”

Just the fact that you are saying this tells the other person that you know you are being rude. This phrase also turns the negativity into the other person’s problem by making them feel like getting upset is wrong since you supposedly are just trying to help. If you feel the need to say this, then stop for a moment and think about whether or not the person needs to hear what you are about to tell them.

“You’re So Lucky to Win That Award”

There are times when being lucky is good. Winning the lottery is an example of having luck over earning an achievement through hard work. However, you never want to attribute someone’s promotion, sports award, or other achievements to pure luck. Try to mention something that you’ve noticed contributed to the success. At the very least, say that you are proud and congratulate them on their achievement.

“Stop Being so Sensitive”

This comment comes up as one of the most commonly used phrases that people say to their spouse or other family members. Saying this makes the issue the other person’s fault and discredits their emotions. It is normal for people to get upset or even cry during a disagreement. Asking why they are upset and working together to find ways to solve the problem works better than making them feel ashamed of their emotions.

“Well, if That’s What You Want to Do”

You can catch yourself using this phrase by listening to your tone. Not only are you likely using a snarky tone of voice, but this phrase is laden with judgment. You’re essentially saying that you don’t agree with the other person’s choice at all but will tolerate it. You’ll get a better result by stating your disinterest in an activity but letting the other person know you’ll do it. Or, you can ask them for alternative ideas until you find one that you can both agree on.

No one’s perfect, and it is likely that you’ll catch yourself saying these phrases occasionally. When you do, acknowledging the problem and rephrasing your thoughts works well for helping you to improve your communication. With some practice, you’ll soon notice the results of watching what you say as your relationships become more positive.

Visit NHCC.us for more on New Horizon Counseling Center and Herrick Lipton!

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.com

Diagnosing Adult ADHD

There are many things about living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that people don’t realize. This diagnosis conjures up images of a little child who isn’t able to be still. Most believe children eventually outgrow symptoms of ADHD. It is time for people to realize ADHD is a complicated disorder. Individuals will experience symptoms long into adulthood. It is common for individuals who had ADHD symptoms as a child to never be diagnosed or receive treatment. Experiencing ADHD symptoms can cause a variety of problems for an adult.

Executive Function Disorder

It is possible to describe ADHD symptoms as an executive function disorder. This is often referred to as the brain’s management system. It is what helps an individual to make priorities, set goals, and create plans then persist until they are completed. Executive function consists of three main components. They are the ability to control, the ability to pay attention, and prioritize. Individuals with ADHD struggle with each of these components.

Cause

The cause of ADHD is believed to be a deficit in the neuro-transmitters norepinephrine and dopamine. This condition causes individuals with ADHD to try to make up for the deficit by regularly engaging in behaviors that are dopamine-stimulating. They then experience constant mental or physical restlessness. ADHD is a condition that individuals are usually born with.

Subtypes

There are three subtypes of ADHD:

• Inattentive-disorganized individuals who want mental stimulation
• Individuals with impulsive ADHD who try to obtain stimulation within their physical environment
• Individuals with a combination of ADHD subtypes and try to obtain stimulation with a mixture of the other two

Underemployed

It is common for individuals with ADHD to be underemployed based on their abilities. They may often struggle to perform at a position that fits them. These people struggle to keep up because they can’t multitask. They may not get projects done on time because of being distracted by a phone call or email, and more. People with ADHD are usually too busy trying to engage in mental or physical stimulation or exhausted from the effort to control their impulses. They often have no energy to focus.

Any person who believes they may have adult ADHD should try to get an evaluation. When this is done, people feel better. They can then develop ways to work through their struggles. There is a lot of confusion concerning how ADHD appears in adults. People who feel they may have ADHD need to find an expert who has significant experience with evaluating adults for ADHD.

Visit NHCC.us for more on New Horizon Counseling Center and Herrick Lipton!

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.com

The Specifics of Popular Stress Management Methods

Whether making simple, everyday decisions or life-changing ones, everyone encounters stress in their life. It’s important to know how to cope and manage those feelings so that you can continue to thrive and stay healthy. The hardest part is figuring out which method of stress relief works best for you, as there are many to choose from. So, not only are some simple tips provided below, but included with them are how the techniques actually lower your stress levels so you can make the most informed decision possible and get back to feeling yourself one more.

Sipping a Steaming Cup of Tea

People have been reaping the benefits of this tasty drink for centuries, enjoying both its taste and comforting qualities. Luckily, it isn’t a placebo that gives tea its magic – it’s actually scientifically proven. There is a two-fold process that lowers the amount of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body when tea is involved. The first is the methodical process of brewing the tea, and the second is drinking the natural compounds in the tea itself. Combined, these basic steps help you relax and drown out some anxiety you are feeling.

Giving Your Pet Some Love and Attention

We all love our furry family members – big or small, they have become integral to our lives in more ways than one, but did you know they combat stress too? Just giving your animal some well-deserved pets has shown to decrease your cortisol levels, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and even give you a small boost of serotonin, too. They have all the ingredients necessary to help you lead a lower-stress life, and they’re cute to boot.

Embracing the Great Outdoors

Listening to the soothing sounds of nature can help some people sleep, but they also have the ability to help when you’re awake as well. The soft sound of rainfall or birds chirping perhaps, both could attribute to relaxation by refocusing your mind away from stressful thoughts and onto the beautiful nature that surrounds us. With nature sounds keeping us out of our heads, we allow ourselves to take a deep breath and enjoy the present moments.

Visit NHCC.us for more on New Horizon Counseling Center and Herrick Lipton!

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.net

Supporting a Loved One with Depression While Dealing with Depression

Your friends and family members are there to help support you when you are feeling down, and you’re likely happy to return the favor. Yet, what happens when both of you are dealing with depression and have limited resources for helping one another? Figuring out ways to support a loved one with depression is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face when you are also struggling with your mental health. Creating an action plan gives you more control over your mental wellbeing and relationship.

Establish Healthy Boundaries

Two people who are depressed can easily start to drag each other down. Start by deciding what you can agree on for boundaries. For example, you might want to establish that it is okay for either of you to tell the other that they need a break from hearing them vent. You may also want to make it clear that it is okay to say no to an activity or making plans when you aren’t feeling your best.

Be Open About Your Mental Health Status

Many people still find it hard to talk about their mental health. If you don’t feel okay saying that you are depressed, then try using other words such as telling your loved one that you are also having a hard time. Opening up about your depression can let your loved one know that you struggle mentally, too.

Invite Them to Join You in Self-Care Activities

There are times when you may want to be alone, but it also helps to bring your loved one along on your journey. If you’ve signed up for an art class or other activity, then ask them if they want to join in. You can also invite them for a walk or hike. Getting them involved in an activity that you enjoy can help both of you to improve your mental health.

Seek Mental Health Treatment

Serious depression needs professional treatment. Seeking help from a therapist or counselor helps you to learn techniques that make you a better friend or family member. In therapy, you can also talk about your challenges with supporting someone with the same mental health condition that you have. Talking it out makes things seem less frustrating, and you can use your new strategies to continue strengthening your relationship.

In a perfect world, two close friends or family members wouldn’t be depressed at the same time. While you can’t fix the timing of your mental health challenges, you can take charge of improving everyone’s well-being by being proactive and willing to talk about how you feel mentally and emotionally.

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.net

The Relationship Benefits of Having Personal Power

According to a recent study performed on 181 couples between 18 and 73 years old, the secret to a happy relationship is when both partners have high levels of personal power. German researchers asked each couple questions, including their sexuality, fascination with each other, and trust to determine their relationship quality.

In addition, they asked the participants about their experiences with positional power and subjective power. Subjective power comes from one’s perception of themselves, whereas positional power comes from external measures, such as financial capabilities and educational achievements.

What Were the Findings?

The results determined that when a person’s sense of personal power was high, they were significantly more satisfied in a relationship. Catherine O’Brien, a therapist, added that power indicates that partners feel understood and also understand one another. Also, they both participate in decision-making.

Catherine also said that people with high personal power know their strengths, rarely seek approval and are self-sufficient, therefore building healthy relationships.

Usefulness and Limitations of the Study

The research provided limited results because of the broad range of the couples’ relationship timeline and their ages. For example, a month-old commitment and a 52-year one look different because the first one has less conflict. Also, the study focused on heterosexual couples hence the findings may be contrasting for more diverse couples.

According to Emily Altman, the CEO of The Couples Workshop, gay relationships get affected by factors such as gender roles, culture, and social environments. If the relationships survive and thrive even with social hurdles, the couples build resilience, hence personal power in the process.

Tiny daily choices, including what to eat for dinner and where could cause a power imbalance, leading to stress, so when couples support their partners in minor decisions, they develop a higher sense of personal power.

More ways to increase levels of personal power include:

• Healthy conflict resolution
• Being straightforward with one’s opinions and ideas
• Finding a supportive community
• Asking for help when needed
• Acknowledging one’s value
• Taking individual recharging and reflection time

In healthy couples, differences in education, financial capabilities, and other objective power indicators do not affect them. Their influence on each other and confidence in their value keep them happier for longer.

Visit NHCC.us for more on New Horizon Counseling Center and Herrick Lipton!

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.net

A 5-Minute Exercise for Emotional Intelligence

Do you have days full of daily responsibilities? Does it often seem like too much? It is very easy to get overwhelmed with all the demands placed on modern adults. Things can pile up so fast that it’s easy to simply tune it all out and walk away.

While tuning out difficult tasks or things you don’t want to do has its perks, it can also be easily overdone. The serenity that comes with it can lead to complacency and even avoiding crucial tasks completely.

The more a person avoids work, the more anxiety they will face about the consequences of not getting things done. That’s why it’s important to have coping mechanisms that help people accomplish the tasks at hand that need to be dealt with.

It’s a particularly brutal cycle, but it’s also easy to break. There’s a technique that’s based on the fundamentals of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is being able to identify your emotions, understand them, and then manage them effectively. One way you can do this is by using the 5-minute rule.

If you don’t deal with your stress proactively regarding a particular task, then your brain is likely to get overwhelmed with thoughts of how long the task will take and how difficult it will be. Fortunately, big and challenging tasks don’t often happen in just one sitting or session, as you’re likely to handle it by nibbling at it one small bit at a time.

This is where the 5-minute rule factors in. Just decide to work on a specific task for 5 minutes, with the promise to yourself that if you need or want to, you can quit once those 5 minutes are up.

Your brain should acknowledge that 5 minutes is not all that long. That’s actually enough time for more than one funny cat video on YouTube.

Most of the time, once 5 minutes are up, you’ll get so engrossed in a task that you’ll have momentum and keep going. Still, the 5-minute rule has done its brilliant work, which is helping you get started.

The next time you’re facing some burden you just don’t feel like facing yet, consider giving it just 5 minutes. You’ll fall in love with this trick soon enough.

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.com

Why Avoiding Toxic Positivity is Important

It is becoming increasingly popular to always look on the bright side of life, no matter what happens. Never acknowledging that bad things do happen in life can have many negative consequences on someone’s life, however. The following guide gives you a few reasons why you may want to try to avoid toxic positivity in your life.

Toxic Positivity Can Cause Mental Health Struggles

When you are going through a difficult situation in life, and someone tells you to “look on the bright side” this can affect you in a negative way mentally. It can make you question if the feelings you have are selfish, are unnecessary, or are childish. It’s okay to have negative emotions from time to time. While you don’t want to dwell on them nonstop, having negative emotions is normal and healthy. Squelching these emotions can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, which can also affect your life negatively.

Toxic Positivity Can Create a False Sense of Security

Trying to always see things in a positive light can instill a feeling that everything should be great all the time. When something goes wrong, it can limit the feelings of responsibility someone has, which can give them a false sense of entitlement. It can make someone feel as though they are owed the positive things in life and when they don’t occur, it can lead to someone thinking they did something wrong, weren’t good enough, or cause them to blame someone else for their problems.

Toxic Positivity Can Cause Social Awkwardness

Being around people who are positive all the time can create social awkwardness. It can make you feel as though you have to hide negative feelings when they occur out of a fear of letting someone down or feeling you’ll be judged. Not being able to share your feelings openly and honestly causes things to become bottled up inside which is not a healthy way to live life. Avoiding toxic positivity isn’t always easy to do. You may need to limit your social interaction to people who live a more realistic way of life and don’t always try to find the good in everything that happens. Limiting social media allows you to avoid being exposed to toxic positivity unexpectedly and can help to provide you with time to process the way you feel about something in a healthy way.

This article was originally published on HerrickLipton.com