Four to six percent of people may have winter depression, according to American Family Physician, and another 10 to 20 percent may have mild Seasonal Affective Disorder. Mental illness can be even harder to deal with while in college, so here are some tips to get through the difficult season.
1. Make a schedule (and stick to it)
Motivation is difficult when suffering from depression. You don’t want to do anything — homework, bathing, cleaning. Nothing seems worth doing. But if you set up a schedule, and keep up with it, you can handle things in pieces. Do this piece of homework at this time, read these pages after this class, etc. Following a schedule will slowly get you back to (or keep you in) the groove.
2. Read
Reading a book, especially one that you enjoy, can be a distraction. Unlike watching TV, reading requires 100 percent of your attention. You can’t get distracted looking at or doing other things, but rather you can escape into the world that you’re reading about. And there’s a book for everyone, avid reader or not. Goodreads.com is a great resource for browsing potential books.
3. Aromatherapy
This may sound obscure, but it helps. Scents like eucalyptus, lavender and citrus can do different things for your body such as calm you down and energize you. Try getting some scented candles (but be safe), essential oils or lotions. Bath & Body Works has an aromatherapy line with scents including Comfort, Sleep, Stress Relief, Happiness and more. Breathing in those scents can put the mind at ease.
4. Go out and do something
Hang out with your friends, get involved with an organization on campus, go bowling, go to a concert. Do something other than work and sleep. Sometimes all it takes is having fun, whether on your own or with others, and distracting yourself from your problems by doing something that you enjoy.
5. Exercise
Activity will get your body moving and feeling better as a whole (and it’ll benefit you in the long run, too). Outdoor activity in the sunlight will boost endorphins — try taking a brisk morning walk while listening to your favorite uplifting music.
6. Intake vitamin D
The sun isn’t out as much in the wintertime, meaning your vitamin D levels drop. Depression and vitamin D deficiency are linked, so the more of it the better. You can take supplements, or intake it through foods such as salmon and some dairy products.
7. Seek professional help
If you’re feeling especially depressed or you are having thoughts of suicide, talk to a doctor (or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255). Capital students enrolled in at least one course are eligible for free counseling services, which can be scheduled by emailing chw@capital.edu. They can provide you with all of the proper care. Avoid self-medication at all costs — it never ends well. When in doubt, talk to somebody.
