Can your mental health be impacted by the change in season?

Yes, seasonal mental health patterns are a reality that many of us face.  It makes sense that with shorter days, colder weather, and the long busy stretch in the lead up to the festive season, we can experience higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression during these autumn and winter months.

Symptoms of winter-pattern Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) typically begin or worsen in the autumn/winter months, leaving those affected by it feeling particularly low in mood and lacking in energy.

The impending holiday season can also be a significant source of stress and family-related triggers for many, with added pressure of socialising and spending more money than we would usually.

In addition to the added pressures we can face at this time of year, the autumn and winter months are often a time for natural reflection on the year’s progress, relationships, and goals, resulting in people wanting to address issues they may have put off throughout the year.

Why might it be helpful to access counselling at this time of year?

Counselling provides a safe, confidential, consistent space to reflect and explore your feelings with a trained counsellor.

Talking in this way can help you order your thoughts, explore why you are feeling like you are, and help you navigate the challenges associated with this time of year more effectively, and develop coping strategies and necessary support systems.

Counselling can help with:

• Building self-awareness: helping you gain a better understanding of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, leading to positive changes.
• Emotional processing: providing a safe space to express emotions related to past events, facilitating healing and acceptance. 
• Addressing the root cause: helping to identify the underlying reasons behind your struggles, allowing you to work through them effectively. 
• Developing coping mechanisms: finding coping strategies to manage difficult emotions and situations. 
• Setting goals: with guidance, you can establish clear and achievable goals to move forward in life. 

If you are thinking about having some counselling, but not sure if it’s the right thing for you, or have some questions about how it works, Katie Creagh-Barry offers a free 15-minute call over the phone, so you can find out more about counselling and decide if it’s the right step for you.

You can find out more and book an appointment by calling 01256 702140.