Is your mood bad for seasonal affective disorder?

Due to dark nights and sudden weather changes, these winter days can be darker and longer than we would like. On this island in the midst of winter, it’s hard to find the hazy sunshine that creates a reservoir of vitamin D. An icy storm struck, urging them to stay indoors to escape the trembling of their boots.

Winters and these cold days can culminate in cozy gatherings around the fire, but it can also have a significant impact on your mental health and daily life of lethargy and mood. It can make a difference. It can certainly discourage you.

More so than others.

Tadhg Doyle Chief Executive Officer’s secretary. His work requires detail and precision with a level head for multitasking. Over the last five years, he has noticed that mood swings during the winter are making his work life a problem. He finds dark days difficult. “My friend mentioned SAD three years ago. [seasonal affective disorder] I realized that this must be the reason I was frustrated, angry, and forgetful until the days got a little lighter and started to get longer. I didn’t know what to do and wondered who I was. “

winter

The Health Service Executive (HSE) estimates that about 7% of the population is experiencing SAD. This is a mood disorder that is usually experienced in winter, but it also affects people during the summer. Many people who experience SAD in the winter feel more tired than usual due to unexplained fatigue. As you gain more appetite, you gain weight, lose energy, and have a desire to be alone.

“Seasonal affective disorder is said to affect women more than men, whose symptoms of depression appear to be mild to major blockers in normal daily function,” said a psychologist. Allison Keating To tell.

Scientists are uncertain why we experience SAD and suggest that hormonal changes due to the lack of available light in winter are possible causes. When there is less light, the brain lowers serotonin levels. This is a happy hormone associated with mood regulation.

As the symptoms of SAD deepened, Tadhg realized that his behavior affected not only his personal life, but also his work life. “I got sick more often just because I was depressed and tired. I really like my job and I’m good at it, but I have the same desire to continue me until the end of the day I couldn’t mind meeting friends and colleagues. The CEO began to notice how frustrating I was and told me to leave most of my attitude at home. I knew my behavior was out of the norm, but the more I was pushed, the more lonely and desperate I was. “

employer

Aine Clilly HR Elephant Human Resources Consultant. She states: “SAD is perceived as genuine and it is very important to emphasize that employers must take the impact and support they need seriously on their employees. Employers and line managers are at work. And, as with working from home these days, it is a duty of care. Therefore, when an employee is thinking about when and how to approach an employer, reporting that they are suffering from SAD is a physical condition. It is important to remember that it is the same as reporting a general health problem.

Given the stigma that surrounds SAD and mental health in general, how can you be confident in discussing issues with your employer when you are suffering from SAD? “There is no other way but to talk about it directly,” says Keating. “To stop mental health stigma, you need to deduct the judgment of yourself and others and get the help you need. Removing mental health from the darkness reduces shame, and is the only way through it. The way is to put it into practice. “

When engaging in mental health conversations in all situations, it is important to feel that we are endorsed by our peers and employers. “It will be an unpleasant conversation,” says Keating. “But I won’t say anything more offensive. Take a deep breath and state clearly what’s going on. Your employer is in a bad mood from you and lacks concentration. This may help, as you may have noticed and misunderstood what is happening. “

Crilly reminds us that it may be easier to answer a phone call or send an email if socially remote face-to-face chat is too difficult or appropriate. “Also, don’t forget that employers, managers and supervisors are all human and care about their employees,” she says. “Clarifying your health can lead to a more supportive work environment and, for example, flexible work options.”

support

Tadhg’s conversation was initiated by a colleague who recognized the symptoms he experienced last year. As part of the company’s wellness policy, a wellness program for all employees was organized, giving Tadhg the opportunity to discuss concerns with the CEO who actively supported him. “SAD is still influencing me,” he says. “But I can manage it now. It helps me to know that there is support from the company.”

There are many ways employers can support their employees to maintain a healthy balance for all involved during the winter when SAD is more prominent. Keating advises on simple measures that can be taken. “Probably opens up different ways to provide a supportive culture for talking about different topics. Placing a lightbox on your desk is known to alleviate the symptoms of SAD from your desk at lunch. Encourage them to take a walk outside in natural light away, or support flexible work options. Finally, promoting the use of employee assistance programs or external counseling requires it. We will provide support to those who do. “

In these difficult days, when many of us have little contact with our colleagues and work from home, it is especially important to support each other as the winter months take hold.

If the following symptoms occur for more than 2 weeks or appear periodically (appearing in winter, relieving in spring, etc.), you may have SAD. Talk to the person closest to you and your general practitioner who recommends the most appropriate treatment.

Symptoms:
– Immediately with anger and anxiety.
– Avoid being uninterested in social gatherings and what you normally enjoy.
– Problems that make you feel less focused, sensitive, frustrated, or depressed.
– Lethargy, malaise, or oversleeping.
– Binge eating and weight gain.

contact information:
Samaritan: Phone 116 123, Text 087 2609090, Email [email protected]
Noticed: Phone 1800 804848, Email [email protected]