Though sometimes beautiful and sometimes festive, winter comes with the burden of seasonal depression for some. An empty mood, having low energy and oversleeping are reasons why some dread the colder and darker months so much. Seasonal depression is a very taxing disorder with motivation to do school work and see loved ones seeming like “too much work” or just feeling like you physically can’t.
Though it feels like nothing can help you out of seasonal depression even a little bit and you may not have any motivation to try anything to help, there are a few “remedies” that I and others have found to be helpful.
To start off this list, I’d like to start with romanticizing a routine of selfcare. There is something so liberating about pampering yourself when it’s cold and dark outside and I have found that it motivates me to take better care of myself when I’m struggling with seasonal depression. If you need something to look forward to after school that isn’t just laying in bed, I suggest finding a hot beverage that you could drink everyday. For me I’ve been drinking nettle tea. I’d recommend you find a drink without caffeine so you don’t become reliant on it.
Showering is a struggle for some when pressed with such a burden of sadness but I’ve found that having a candle lit shower or bath where you focus on pampering yourself and relaxing is a great way to motivate yourself. If you are looking for a cheap good candle I recommend going to Butterfly Herbs or Target, and smelling the selection they have so you can find one you can look forward to smelling everyday. Finding body and hair products that smell good are a luxury, so I recommend finding special products for your candle lit showers.
This one isn’t necessary, but I find that having a signature perfume or scent that you can associate winter with is very soothing. Smelling good helps with confidence which is very important to keep up with when depressed. Butterfly Herbs has great inexpensive perfumes that you can smell and sample to find what is best for you.
Volunteering sounds like a lot of work when struggling with depression but it is truly rewarding. I find that volunteering helps with self esteem because it makes you feel good about what you are doing. It is also a good way to spend your time and reduce the time you are laying in bed on your phone during the day.
It is also well known that vitamin D is a beneficial supplement to take since we aren’t getting nearly as much sunlight as we do in the spring and summer. I’d definitely recommend keeping up with taking your vitamins and water intake. Though it may all seem like a placebo, you have to put trust into it working.
As we look forward to spring and summer we have to still romanticise the present and do what we can to make it through. Start taking better care of yourself and pampering yourself, keep yourself busy and start preparing for the holidays. It is always important to remember that the warmth and sunlight will come.
