Make the best of the winter jeer

Congratualtions on a new year, everyone.

My condolences, too. It's January.

As years go, now is the hard part.

Thick ice, gray skies and slow-starting cars - all that wouldn't be so bad if we still had more presents to unwrap.

The snow just melted in my backyard. But what was underneath?

A big pile of leaves. Whoops! Those must be left over from the fall. Yeah, I'll get to them by the thaw - or the fall.

For me, as a runner, the worst thing about January is the short day. Trying to fit in a run before it's dark ain't easy.

Sure, I could run at night. But trying to get out the door and look at a dark sky, and feel the bone-chilling breeze, and then run three to five miles? Forget it.

For others, however, winter's short days can be much worse.

They can bring on the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder for nearly 14 million Americans who suffer from this serious disorder.

The New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies, Inc. urges everyone to be aware of the signs of SAD and seek medical attention to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of SAD or other illnesses that may be mistaken for SAD.

“SAD is a real, diagnosable mental health disorder that should be taken as seriously as all other kinds of mental and physical illnesses. It is important to understand that help is available for individuals who experience depressive symptoms, whether they indicate SAD, clinical depression or any other condition,” said Debra L. Wentz, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of NJAMHA.

As with depression, symptoms of SAD may include but are not limited to fatigue, lack of interest in normal activities, social withdrawal, difficulty getting out of bed, difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly, feelings of sadness and apathy combined with irritability, excessive sleeping and difficulty staying awake.

The difference is that with SAD, individuals may also experience an insatiable appetite for carbohydrates, which can result in weight gain. In addition, symptoms of SAD usually dissipate when spring arrives and typically do not reappear until late fall when the days begin to get shorter again and especially during January and February. By contrast, symptoms of depression could last or periodically reappear all year long.

“Since both SAD and depression can become serious and SAD could be mistaken for other illnesses, NJAMHA recommends that individuals experiencing these symptoms seek treatment from mental or medical healthcare providers. SAD can be misdiagnosed as severe depression or bipolar disorder or as a physical illness, such as hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, infectious mononucleosis or another type of viral infection. Therefore, it is critical that individuals who feel they may be suffering from SAD see a doctor and ensure they are properly evaluated and treated,” Wentz said.

For individuals who suffer with SAD, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a mental health professional can help change negative thoughts and behaviors and can prevent a relapse of SAD symptoms when winter arrives again. Exposure to high-intensity artificial light or use of a dawn simulator, which gradually turns on a bedroom light each morning beginning while an individual is still asleep, also can help ease symptoms of SAD.

In addition, following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet and exercising regularly, in front of a light box if done indoors, also can help prevent or alleviate SAD symptoms.

NJAMHA urges everyone to monitor their mental health and that of those around them and to call a community mental health provider if help is needed.

To identify and contact local providers, call NJAMHA at 609-838-5488 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. during normal business days or visit www.njamha.org (in the left-hand sidebar, select “Need Treatment?” to search providers).