Also written by Eliana Wilkin
During this transitional period of the year regarding the change of weather and the seasons, many start to experience the winter blues, or otherwise called seasonal depression. Seasonal depression is a very common ailment where an individual will experience these short periods of sadness and downcast moods, sparking from the suspended winter. With the shorter days, less daylight, colder weather, and all the other benefactors of winter coming down, the symptoms of seasonal depression begin, and the blues settle with. When the winter melts away and springs comes, an individual will overcome these unusual periods of moodiness, and revert back to their former selves. There could be more serious symptoms of seasonal depression, like serious changes in behavior and thinking, but this is connected to the Seasonal Affective Disorder, a more extreme condition compared to the weary winter blues regarding the colder months. Now, let’s get some insight on how the winter blues impact the Littleton campus, and how to overcome this common period.
When asking our staff about how Lions can improve their mood while experiencing the winter blues, Mollie Pitrone states,
“Staying active, open minded, trying new activities or ideas… I would say lean on your support system when or if you are having a difficult time and make sure to utilize your supports, counselors, mental health professionals or talk about how you’re feeling.”
When asking counselor Angie Zerr if she has seen any first hand accounts of the winter blues at LHS, she responds,
“I don’t necessarily think I see individual students on a regular basis with that, but you can definitely feel it in the wintertime when it’s darker earlier, and I think kids definitely struggle a bit more when the suns not out more often.”
