Voronezh Psychologist: How to Overcome Seasonal Blues
The warm May days are far away, and outside the window it is either frost and snowfall, or slush. A familiar state when you don«t want anything in the morning, your energy is at zero, and life seems gray and monotonous? People call this the off-season blues. Does it really exist or is it an excuse for the lazy? Voronezh psychologist Artyom Sazykin answered questions from Voronezh1.ru.
Blues: Myth or Reality?
Many tend to blame the depressed state in February–March or November on a bad character or lack of willpower. However, the psychologist has a scientific explanation for this phenomenon.
«The off-season blues really exist,» the specialist immediately dispels doubts. «The change of seasons greatly affects the human body in general and the psyche in particular. If we are talking about the end of winter, then one of the reasons is banal vitamin deficiency, lack of nutrients, which affects overall health.»
The second significant reason is the lack of sunlight and a sharp reduction in activity.
«A person spends a lot of time at home, there is not enough sunlight. Plus, in winter, as a rule, there are fewer walks. Especially for those who work remotely. Such moments — this monotony — drive into a kind of depressive state,» says Artyom Sazykin.
The psychologist emphasizes that in summer life itself is more diverse: you can walk after work, spend more time outside. In winter, going «out into the world» is sometimes associated with discomfort — for example, in severe frost or ice, as now. And endless sitting within four walls depresses both physically and psychologically — a vicious circle arises.
Symptoms: How to Know It«s the Blues?
How to distinguish seasonal blues from simple fatigue? The psychologist describes a vivid clinical picture familiar to probably everyone.
«A person doesn«t want to do anything, he develops a kind of fatigue from life, from what is happening around. It turns out that he lives by the principle: home, work, home, work. And this monotony causes apathy,» says Artyom Sazykin.
Added to the feeling of «Groundhog Day» is an emotional decline: the New Year holidays are behind, and the May holidays are still far away — a person gets tired of the routine. As a result, a bouquet of symptoms is formed: low mood, bitterness, irritability, constant drowsiness — sometimes even getting out of bed is difficult, reluctance to do anything and a dreary anticipation of the weekend.
Who Is Most Susceptible to the Blues
It turns out that personality type does not play a decisive role. What matters more is how a person«s daily life is structured.
«First of all, those people are more prone who have no hobbies, activities, interests. Who do not play sports, ignore physical exercise. Nothing dilutes their life. They live insipidly,» says the psychologist.
Artyom Sazykin draws a clear line between just work and something that energizes.
«If a person likes his job, then it«s a different question. He will be fine at any time of the year — if he loves his work, he will do it. But for those who do not see the main meaning of their life in their work, it is quite difficult,» he explains.
Salvation, according to the specialist, is in keeping the mind busy and the positive emotions from a favorite activity.
«When a person is busy with something — and he likes this activity — dopamine is released, hormones of joy and happiness are released. And he feels better,» says the psychologist.
What to Do if the Blues Are Already Here?
«First aid, no matter how trite it may sound, is some kind of activity. A person must do something,» advises Artyom Sazykin.
The specialist offers specific and varied ideas:
Creativity. You can, for example, draw. A wonderful therapeutic method that fights negative states well. As an option — buy a paint-by-numbers kit.
Reading. Effectively relieves stress because a person is distracted from everything and immerses himself in a book.
Communication and change of scenery. Even just meeting with friends — that is, some kind of pastime that will differ from the constant routine in which a person is.
The main principle is to switch the focus of attention from inner longing to an external interest.
«The secret here is not in medication, but in restructuring your lifestyle, restructuring your day and bringing something new into your life. This is important. Go somewhere: to the cinema, to the theater. Leave the house, in other words,» advises the psychologist.
But the expert makes a caveat: a one-time trip is not enough. The key to a sustainable result is regularity.
«It«s not enough to show up at the gym once, pump an arm, a leg and become »Mr. Olympia.« To achieve results, there must be systematization in everything,» he adds.
What if Life Is Just Waiting for a Vacation?
A dangerous trap that many fall into is living from weekend to weekend, from vacation to vacation. The psychologist calls a spade a spade.
«If a person lives and only tries to survive until vacation, until the weekend, if he has to endure work with all his might, then clearly he is not doing his thing. It will not bring him happiness,» says Artyom Sazykin.
But since not everyone can radically change their life, he offers a strategy available here and now: fill life with goals.
«If a person has goals — conditionally, make a porch at the dacha, build a bathhouse or buy something for himself — these goals help to live. It is the movement towards them, the path itself that is interesting,» he adds.
It is important that goals can be of any scale — from global to the smallest.
«Someone may have a goal to build a house, someone to buy a new jacket, buy a pool membership, seal 10 jars of compote in the summer or come up with something else. But if they exist, this gives a person happiness, joy. And the blues fade into the background,» says the specialist.
Red Flags: When Is It Time to See a Professional?
Off-season blues is usually a temporary and surmountable condition. But there are cases when it develops into something more serious. The psychologist clearly identifies red flags.
«One should contact specialists in those cases when a person has really lost interest in life. When he is not interested in anything at all. He doesn«t want anything at all. He has nothing in life that would somehow arouse his interest. This is a serious symptom of a condition similar to depression.»
In addition to total loss of interest, the following should cause concern:
Desire to completely isolate oneself from the world;
Uncontrollable emotions: causeless tears, outbursts of irritability;
Persistent negative state when «everything is bad, everyone is stupid, everything is annoying.»
The specialist reminds that mental health requires the same attention as physical health.
«It«s the same as when something hurts in a person: you can sit and ignore it, or you can go to a doctor, get a diagnosis and treat it. Same with the psyche.»
How to Prepare for the Next Difficult Periods?
The best treatment is prevention. The Voronezh psychologist offers a formula for resilience to the blues that works at any time of the year:
Constant hobby: find a passion and do it systematically.
Planning and goals: set tasks for yourself, big and small, and move towards them.
Social circle: maintain connections with dear people.
Regular health care: sports, routine, discipline.
Attention to loved ones: by helping others, we become stronger ourselves.
