How to Combat Seasonal Depression

In a recent blog, we outlined the differences between depression and sadness. For those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), it can be even more challenging to determine if you have depression or if you are experiencing temporary sadness due to the temporary nature of SAD. Luckily, there are several remedies that can be easily implemented on your own that will help improve your overall health and can even help prevent clinical depression from developing. If you think you might have seasonal depression, give some of these recommendations a try. 

If you need additional support, don’t be afraid to reach out to a psychiatrist for a personalized treatment plan. 

What is Seasonal Depression?

Seasonal depression is depression caused by the changing seasons, typically beginning in late fall and lasting through early spring. SAD can affect anyone, but those who live in the northern regions of the United States may be at a higher risk. 

Symptoms of seasonal depression may include:

  • Lack of energy
  • Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Mood swings
  • Weight gain

SAD is more than being sad about the cold weather. If seasonal changes affect your ability to function as you normally would, this is a good indicator that you may have seasonal depression.

What Causes Seasonal Depression?

Seasonal depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. In many cases, this is triggered by low serotonin levels, which is an important chemical in the brain that regulates your mood. In other cases, it could be caused by an overproduction of melatonin, which helps regulate your sleep cycles and makes you feel tired. Both serotonin and melatonin help maintain your body’s daily patterns that signal when it is day or night. Seasonal changes may cause your body to over or underproduce these chemicals making it difficult to function as you normally would.

How are these chemical imbalances related to seasonal changes? The lack of sunlight during the winter months can lead to vitamin D deficiency which can cause these imbalances in the brain. Vitamin D helps promote serotonin activity and is inversely connected to melatonin levels. When you are deficient in vitamin D, your serotonin levels drop and you may begin to overproduce melatonin. 

Ways to Combat Seasonal Depression


Increase Vitamin D Levels

Since seasonal depression is often triggered by a lack of vitamin D, it’s no surprise that the best way to combat seasonal depression is to address any vitamin D deficiencies you may have. Here are a few ways you can increase your vitamin D levels:

  • Get outside for 10-15 minutes every day. Going for a daily walk outside will have incredible benefits for your overall health and will give you the much-needed sun exposure to help boost your vitamin D. Even if you are bundled up for the weather, getting some sun exposure on your face will have some benefits. 
  • Incorporate vitamin D rich foods into your diet. 
    • Egg yolks
    • Orange juice fortified with vitamin D
    • Cow milk or plant based milk fortified with vitamin D
    • Wild caught salmon
    • Tuna
    • Swordfish
    • Mushrooms
    • Fortified cereal
  • Take Vitamin D supplements. While the best way for your body to absorb vitamin D will be from sun exposure and vitamin D rich foods, your body will likely absorb at least some vitamin D from over the counter supplements.


Light Therapy

If you live in a northern or midwestern region, getting outside everyday is still very important, but you may need more light exposure than what you are able to get naturally. Consider purchasing a lamp for light therapy. You can find some relatively inexpensive lamps online that you can place on your desk, end table, or even set up on your bathroom vanity for when you get ready for your day. It is best to use the lamp for at least 30 minutes each day, ideally getting a minimum of 10 minutes within the first hour of waking. 

Light therapy helps signal to your body that it is day time. This will reduce the production of melatonin and increase your serotonin production.

Some individuals may begin to feel their mood lift within a few days of beginning light therapy and most will begin to feel a reduction in their depression symptoms within two weeks.


Ketamine for Seasonal Depression

Typically used for treatment resistant depression, ketamine therapy can be a good option for those who are severely affected by seasonal affective disorder. Ketamine can be administered as a nasal spray, shot, IV, or oral medication and can be used on an occasional basis which makes it a good option for treating SAD.


Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy or simply “therapy”, is when an individual sits down with a mental health professional to pinpoint potential triggers of their depression and discuss coping strategies. This can be a good option for those with seasonal depression by recognizing unhealthy thought patterns and retraining the brain. This can be done on a seasonal basis for some extra help when you need it. However, for some, it may be best to participate in psychotherapy on an ongoing basis to help you prepare your thought process for the darkest months.


Improve Your Overall Health

At Manlove Brain and Body Health, we encourage our patients to improve their overall health in as many ways as possible. By improving the overall health of our patients, we have been able to improve their response to depression treatment. No matter how severe your seasonal depression is, you can improve your brain’s response to your treatment methods by eating a healthy diet, maintaining healthy social connections, getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night, limiting caffeine, meditating, and exercising for at least 150 minutes each week. 

By improving your overall health, you are improving your brain’s ability to function properly. This can help your brain adapt to seasonal changes and can prevent other brain diseases including clinical depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and dementia. 

If you experience seasonal depression, try increasing your vitamin D levels and consider purchasing a lamp for light therapy. If these home remedies are not enough, see a psychiatrist to explore ketamine, psychotherapy, or other treatment options for your seasonal affective disorder. 

am i depressed?, depression signs, depression symptoms

Am I Depressed? Know the Signs and Symptoms of Depression

The biggest question people want to be answered before going to see a psychiatrist is: Am I depressed? While no one wants to go through the hassle of making a doctor’s appointment for no reason, it’s always best to ask a mental health professional the answer to that question.

However, to help you determine if it’s time to seek help, The Washington Post recently posted a great article that shares How to know if it’s depression or just ‘normal’ sadness. The biggest takeaway is that sadness is usually linked to a specific event like the loss of a loved one, while depression is typically a consistent negative feeling about one’s self such as feeling like a burden to your friends and family.

Here is a list of depression symptoms to watch for:

  • Change in appetite – this may be a loss or increase in your appetite
  • Sleeplessness
  • Feeling anxious
  • Feeling guilty
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Feeling angry or irritable over small things
  • Tiredness
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Difficulty remembering past events
  • Loss of interest in hobbies or activities

Everyday Sadness Versus Sadness Every Day

While everyone may experience at least some of these symptoms on occasion, individuals with depression often experience multiple, or even all, of these symptoms on a daily basis.

That brings up an important distinction to be made about the article and the author’s use of the phrases ‘everyday sadness and normal sadness’, which could easily be confused with ‘sadness every day.’ Clearly, the author’s intent is to spell out that depression is different from occasional and temporary sadness, so you shouldn’t shrug it off.

Depression typically comes in waves that happen multiple times throughout one’s life. Time doesn’t always heal. So even if the problem seems like something you just need to power through … don’t go it alone.

The critical message here is to get professional advice starting with your primary care doctor, or give us a call: 605-348-8000. If you think you might need to seek help, chances are it would be beneficial for you to see a mental health professional.

psychedelic treatment

Psychedelic Treatment in Rapid City–Not So New

Psychedelics are considered a relatively new and promising form of therapy for treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma-related disorders. While this is new to Western medicine, it has been used by indigenous people around the globe for thousands of years. As modern psychedelics go, our own Dr. Brian Johns from our Minneapolis clinic conducted a study in 2014 that was instrumental in bringing a psychedelic drug out of hospital-only use. This study with the Minneapolis VA set the stage for mental health clinics to start using ketamine for outpatient treatment. 

According to Dr. Johns, “When administered in a safe, controlled setting, certain psychedelics can help recalibrate the brain by growing neurons and helping them respond better to neurotransmitters that improve our mood.” These therapies are often used as part of an augmentation strategy with talk therapy or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Psychedelics can even improve responses to other depression treatments.

The four main psychedelics that are currently being studied for use in depression patients include:

  • Ketamine (already FDA-approved)
  • Psilocybin
  • MDMA
  • LSD

Ketamine – An Approved and Proven Psychedelic

Leading the way as a clinically available and heavily studied psychedelic, ketamine was FDA-approved as an anesthetic in 1970. Plus, the brand-name version, esketamine (Spravato), is the only FDA-approved treatment for suicidal thoughts. Ketamine has been used for psychiatric treatment and has proven successful for many patients who tried multiple other antidepressants without relief.

Learn more about ketamine:

Emerging Psychedelic Treatments

Other psychedelic medications are still being studied and are not yet approved for patients to use unless they are part of a clinical trial. However, the findings so far look promising. Even so-called psychedelic clinics are waiting on further approval of newer psychedelic treatments and rely primarily on ketamine for now, and with good reason. 

Oregon is the first state to legalize psilocybin, and many other states are in the process of legalizing the drug. The drug may only be administered by trained professionals for use in adults 21 years and older.  

The FDA is looking to approve the use of psilocybin and MDMA for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because psychedelic medications provide far better results than traditional antidepressants (Psychiatric Times). For patients with “treatment-resistant” mood disorders, the benefits of these medications far outweigh the potential dangers. For depression patients who feel hopeless, these medications could be life-saving. 

While more studies and trials are needed before psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD can be used as mood-altering medication, ketamine is a psychedelic treatment available now in Rapid City. It is important that you receive ketamine from a mental health professional who has experience treating patients with similar psychiatric symptoms. 

Getting Started with Psychedelic Treatment in Rapid City

To get started, meet with a mental health practitioner who offers ketamine or Spravato, such as at Manlove Brain and Body Health, to determine if ketamine is right for you. Please know that ketamine may not be right for everyone. For example, patients with psychosis or bipolar disorder must be working with a prescriber and taking medications appropriately, as ketamine alone can worsen both conditions. 

We are excited about the promising results regarding additional psychedelic medications and are working with researchers at the University of Rochester to develop a pilot program. Our team of mental health professionals is always looking for the best depression treatments for our patients. If these additional psychedelic treatments continue to provide consistent, positive results, we hope to add them to our mental health treatment solutions to help our Rapid City patients feel better and live happier. 

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antidepressant medication options

Antidepressant Medications: Classes, Doses & Side Effects

People often come to Manlove Brain + Body Health believing they have tried “every medication” for their depression, though that is rarely the case. A patient’s treatment-resistance to antidepressant medication is often caused by one of three scenarios.

ketamine, esketamine, Spravato

Does Insurance Cover Esketamine? And, Common Questions About Ketamine and Esketamine (Spravato) Answered

Ketamine and esketamine (Spravato) are becoming a popular topic of discussion among mental health providers and patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): How it works, what to expect, side effects.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) was developed in 1985, and has been  FDA-approved since 2008 as an alternative treatment for depression. TMS is covered by most health insurance plans for those with treatment resistant depression (TRD) which is defined as a patient who has tried 4 or more antidepressant medications and therapy without relief. It can also help people with symptoms of PTSD, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, social anxiety disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and other mental illnesses.

Ketamine suite at Advanced Brain Body Clinic a ketamine and tms therapy office in Minneapolis Saint Paul Minnesota

How to Have the Best Ketamine Treatment Experience

In a recent blog, Ketamine Misconceptions: How One Patient’s ‘Weird’ Experience Could Have Been Life-Changing, I address some common misconceptions about ketamine that may be turning people away from this life-saving treatment. In addition to the details shared in this piece, it’s important to know that there is a wide range of patient experiences when ketamine is used in treating psychiatric conditions. This is due to a variety of factors: the treatment setting, the dosage given, how quickly the dosage is given, the patient’s mindset before and during the infusion, the support staff during the treatment process, and more.

Screenshot of preview for New York Times Article: I took Ketamine for My Depression. Things Got Pretty Weird. by Vanessa Barbara.

How ‘Weird’ Ketamine Experience Could Have Been Life-Changing

The New York Times recently printed an opinion piece titled “I took ketamine for depression. Things got pretty weird.” In this piece, writer Vanessa Barbara describes her experience in Juiz de Fora, Brazil using intravenous ketamine treatment for her depression. The essay made me reflect on how ketamine therapy is administered nationwide.