I don't know about you, but Thanksgiving being so late this year threw me into a bit of confusion. Somehow it’s December and there are only a few weeks until Christmas. I’m guessing I’m not the only one feeling disoriented by the slalom course of the holiday months. This season can be a lot, so it helps to bring some mindfulness to this amped up time of year. So, let's check in together and see how we're all doing.
It’s fall in Colorado—the aspens have peaked and dropped their golden bangles and the heat in my office is on an unpredictable rollercoaster. Shoulder season in Colorado mountain towns has a very specific vibe, and when you're a mountain town person there's a lot to take care of during these transitional months. For those of us who tend towards depression, shoulder season throws us an additional challenge in the form of thoughts and feelings of dread when facing the dark winter months. Let's do some mental health prepping during shoulder season so you're more prepared for the cold months ahead.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a subset of depression characterized by depressive symptoms linked to seasonal changes. Generally, when we think of seasonal depression we think of winter, but I actually see a lot of summer seasonal affective disorder here in Southwest Colorado. Summer SAD is characterized by irritability, lack of motivation, low energy, guilt, and an increase in negative self-talk, and seems to be related to the repetitively hot, dry, windy days that dominate the southwestern summer.
I know, I know...just a few weeks ago I was bemoaning the difficulties of turbulent spring weather and its accompanying anxiety. Spring anxiety is still real...and this week we're turning towards the qualities of spring that make it The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. In the spring, we have the opportunity to look at the unnecessary internal and external gunk we've accumulated over the winter. Spring also offers us a chance to shift our internal detritus so we can make room for blooming and growing during the warmer months.