H E A L T H

&

F I T N E S S

What to do about those holiday blues This season is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. But for many of us, it’s the most annoying and stressful. • A change in appetite, • Difficulty concentrating For some the especially a craving for • Irritability and anxiety Christmas music sweet or starchy foods • Increased sensitivity to gets old by • Weight gain social rejection Thanksgiving. • A drop in energy level • Avoidance of social sitOthers just aren’t • Fatigue uations and a loss of able to feel that holi• A tendency to overinterest in the activities day spirit that sleep you used to enjoy everyone keeps yapping about. And for a select few it’s actually even And let’s not even mention the traffic, worse. the cold, the cranky crowds. All of this (and more not mentioned It can be a that time of the year when here) can cause feelings of dread, anxiyou have to, once again, meet up with “those” people – you know, the in-laws, ety, depression or a combination of all three. the exes or even your own family. Medically, the phenomenon of For the unattached, it can be the time Seasonal Affective Disorder also starts of the year when you’re reminded repeatedly that you’re single – as one of kicking into high gear. This is a type of depression that has Katkin & Associates’ clients said, been linked to the shortening sunlight Christmas can feel like “Singles hours. The symptoms of Seasonal Awareness Day.” This is the time of year when we find Affective Disorder are just like depression, but they occur during the winter ourselves missing relatives and friends time, with its limited daylight hours. who are no longer with us, bringing The Winter Solstice, the shortest day back a new wave of grieving. of the year, is Dec. 22. Any or all of the above can cause people to feel blue instead joyous, anxiety instead of excitement. Managing these feelings and coping with these stressors can be the best gift you can give yourself and your family. Many people try to go without help, and when they do that, they can find themselves suffering more than needed-or even worse, they can become that dreaded relative everyone wants to avoid during the holiday season. Give Katkin & Associates a call at 831-9408 or check out our website: www.KatkinTherapy.com. They have friendly, understanding counselors who are willing to help you get through these holiday blues.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Holiday blues.

6

Dec. 8-9, 2010

East | Northeast