Christmas can be the happiest time of year for many, but for Iowans suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it can be one of the most challenging. According to Dr. Amy Canuso, a psychiatrist with St. Anthony Regional Hospital, the effects of SAD typically appear around the end of October or early November as the number of daylight hours shrinks. She says its symptoms are very similar to classic depression.
Canuso adds these effects can be heightened by the additional stressors brought on during the holiday season.
She notes that holiday pressures and SAD symptoms don’t just disappear once Christmas is over.
Canuso says everybody experiences the stresses of the holidays differently, but there are some easy things you can do to lessen those feelings.
If those practices don’t help or you begin to have suicidal ideations, Canuso says that is the time to talk with a professional. The national 988 mental health hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or you can schedule an appointment with a local mental health practitioner. The full interview with Dr. Canuso about holiday mental health concerns is included below.
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