Cutting Down on SAD After Moving to San Antonio

By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group 

As exciting as moving to San Antonio may be, eventually the moving high fades away and you come back to ground with a great big thud. If re-entry is throughout the winter time, it can cause seasonal depression--also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Especially if your move has taken you somewhere where wintertime is indeed a thing--such as if you've moved from Florida to Michigan-you need to be ready for some seasonal anxiety and understand how to manage it until the spring thaw.

Should you remember anything at all about high school geography, the further north you are, the less daytime there will be during the fall and winter months. The brief days frequently go hand in hand with dark dull days, so that it feels like the sun hardly shines for many days at a stretch. Then all you wish to do is hibernate--stay at home, snooze, binge watch TV shows, and simply steer clear of the human race. If you have recently moved across the country and are in a new area, and you have not actually settled into a new schedule as yet, it is quicker to fall into the grip of seasonal depression. Thus, here is how you can address it at home, or a couple of solutions a specialist could recommend if you're unable to keep it at bay on your own.

One note--SAD is actually a thing--the Mayo Clinic treats it, as well as the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) includes it. If you experience the outward symptoms of depression that come with winter time, seek treatment in case you have had the outward symptoms in the past.

Add light to Your Surroundings

Light Treatments

Phototherapy is the magic bullet for many people with SAD. It's a straightforward therapy that researchers think modifies your brain balance with 30 minutes a day of exposure; There aren't any serious adverse effects and it's a home treatment, so it is worth a consideration. You'll need a light box which releases no less than 10,000 lux (lux factors in the power of the lighting). Sit down by the box--between 16 to 24 inches away from you--while you enjoy your morning cup of coffee, not gazing straight at the light but with your eyes open. Make certain the light box is made particularly for SAD treatment, as it will filter Ultraviolet light.

Simple things--higher-watt light bulbs, opening curtains during the day, and sitting by a window where you work, if possible--that expose you to extra light will have a notable benefit. Trim back all shrub limbs that dangle over your house to let in additional sunshine, and research putting in skylights to let all the sunshine you can to the home.

Head Out-of-doors

Go for a walk, consume your lunch break outside--anything to take in a handful of weak winter season rays. Even a modest boost of Vitamin D is wonderful for you and also going out-of-doors for a short stroll satisfies that along with getting your pulse up. Early morning sun--even on gloomy days--packs a greater wallop than the weak mid-day light, so strive to get out to start your day.

Workout and Connect with Others

Being active is the normal method for helping any variety of depression--it gets the endorphins running, which often relieves the symptoms of stress and anxiety. If your new residence is located in an area where winter sports are prominent, take up a new pastime--snow skiing, ice skating, maybe ice fishing. Make an effort to go outside and make friends, even if it's only eating lunch or having a cup of coffee with acquaintances.

Professional Treatment

Should your SAD continues once you have tried to manage it yourself, I highly recommend you seek a physician's assistance. A psychologist or psychiatrist will do a thorough evaluation of your physical and mental well-being and determine if your symptoms are really seasonal or maybe the roots of a more persistent depression. Among the first questions they will likely ask is if any other family members are prone to SAD--it is thought to be hereditary. Treatment solutions may be talk therapy, rest or meditation, or even a short-term prescription for antidepressants.

Keep in mind that as wintertime gives way to spring, so will your SAD lessen as the days get lengthier as well as more comfortable. Meanwhile, please get therapy for your SAD to help you enjoy your wellbeing in your new residence after moving to San Antonio.