Autumn blues or depression: how to distinguish?

Autumn melancholy is caused by natural conditions: the sun becomes less, endorphins are produced in the body no longer in the same quantity as in summer. The body begins to expend less energy in order to store it and prepare for the hard winter period. As a rule, this is expressed in increased appetite and drowsiness.

Autumn melancholy is an absolutely normal process common to many people. Therefore, there is no need to panic or be upset if now you are not as active and cheerful as before.

In psychology, there are three manifestations of the blues:

1. Reduced emotional background.
2. Prostration.
3. Increased sleepiness.

Autumn melancholy is somewhat similar to acclimatization. The symptoms of depression are much wider, and adaptation after two or three weeks may not happen. This is a serious disease that requires urgent medical attention. Even in mild cases and in the initial stages, a person is disturbed by obvious disturbances in the functioning of the body.

• Superficial restless sleep with nightmares. It takes a lot of willpower to get out of bed after sleep.
• Suicidal thoughts and actions – obsessive thoughts about suicide, self-harm – cutting, burning.
• Constant unreasonable anxiety and depressed mood.
• Andedonia – a feeling of weakness, fatigue and lack of assembly.

The advice is widespread: “Get together, do something useful, and your depression will go away!” The problem is somewhat deeper, and if a person could cope alone, he would do so.

If you suspect depression, the best thing you can do for yourself is to allow yourself not to play:

• into the “omnipotent”: “I myself (a) will figure it out, I don’t need anyone’s help”;
• into a child who is waiting for someone to come and save him: “Everything will somehow settle down by itself, God / chance / circumstances / partner will solve my trouble.”

Human needs human! If you suspect depression, remember that there is a lot of power, wisdom, and true self-love in allowing yourself to seek help from a psychologist.

If you understand that you have exactly the autumn blues, there are a few tricks that will help you cope with it.

1. Awaken your Inner Adultwho will repeat the words every day: “I myself am the mistress of my mood!” No one and nothing can affect your emotional state if you yourself do not want it. You are what you do regularly. A habit is a habit brought to automaticity. A skill is something that you can learn on your own. Self-support is nothing less than one of the most needed skills in life!

2. Wear bright colors. Scientists have long proven that color affects our perception, attention and mood. For example, orange is the color of fertility, cheerfulness, and creative energy. This is something that will not hurt anyone in the autumn period.

3. Follow the natural cycles of nature. Autumn is a time for harvesting, summing up. Tidy up your house, wardrobe and head. Give away, sell, throw away all the things that you have not worn in the last year and a half; reconsider whether clothing bought in the past suits your current state. Get rid of unnecessary interior items and thoughts. Both inside and outside, replace the old, already obsolete, with the new, relevant here and now.

4. Have a “seal day”. Set aside a day when you do nothing: no cleaning, no shopping, no thinking about business. Allow yourself to just lie under the covers, watch your favorite movies, read books and listen to music. But remember: if the day of the seal is your typical day off and you live in the “live to the end of the working week to fall and stay in bed all weekend”, this is a clear signal to reconsider your life as a whole.

In this case, answer your own important questions.

• Is that what I do?
• Are these the people I surround myself with?
• Am I doing what makes me happy?
• How long have I felt happy?
• What would I do if I knew that I would definitely succeed?

5. Generate a resource in yourself. Make a list of my 50 favorite things to do. Starting from about 10-15 points, the process will go slowly, but the result is worth it. Waking up every morning, ask yourself: “How resourceful am I right now on a scale of 0 to 10?” From your list, choose actions that will bring you closer to 10. One action = one point closer to the goal.

6. Go in for sports. The advice is banal, but effective. During exercise, the body produces endorphins (the so-called “hormone of happiness”) and serotonin (the “hormone of joy”) is synthesized. Thanks to this, a person’s mood improves, metabolism is regulated and immunity is strengthened.

7. Practice breathing techniques. Breathing is directly related to the nervous system. How emotions affect breathing, and vice versa. You may have noticed that when you are frightened, your breathing becomes shallow, and when you are angry, the blood rushes to your face and your breathing quickens.

The reverse process: you begin to breathe deeply, filling all parts of the lungs with air, consciously take a deep breath and a slow, smooth exhalation – and – oh, a miracle! – you quickly calm down, and clarity appears in your head!

8. Try light therapy. Where does the psychological perception of light come from? That’s right: from natural biorhythms. Our body reacts to artificial light in the same way as it does to real light. You need to use this and turn to special smart lamps (ordinary home lamps will not work). It is enough to type “SAD-lamp” in the search line and choose the one that suits your taste and budget.

9. Walk outdoors. Do not rush to go home immediately after work – walk at least one or two stops. You will get a triple result: breathing + sports + time for self-tuning.

One way or another, remember that you can help yourself only from a state of love. When deciding to do (or not do) something about how you feel, ask yourself, “Am I doing this out of love, hate, or indifference to myself?” Where the direction comes from – from there the result.