Navigating the Winter Blues

The winter season brings lots of changes: shorter days, colder mornings, darker evenings, and holiday expectations. For many, this can be exhausting. There may be components of winter that feel exhilarating: hot cocoa, beautiful holiday lights, and the prospect of excessive snowfall. However, this season can bring a variety of adversities for several individuals. 

If the holidays feel heavy for you, consider creating a plan in advance. Having a ‘plan’ will look different for everyone as there are a lot of unique factors one may consider in their situation. This plan may involve having a safe space to retreat to as needed: a separate room or bedroom, a car, a friend’s house, etc. This plan may also include a safe person, someone you know is trustworthy when you may be feeling elevated: a friend, cousin, sibling, parent, coach, therapist, or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Navigating strained relationships and altering your behaviors to please others is draining. Give yourself the grace you would give a close friend; you deserve kindness too. 

For those who follow a schedule during the fall and spring seasons, the winter time can feel unstructured. There can be discomfort that arises when we have an abundance of free time; maintaining a routine can provide organization during a disorderly time. Creating a routine lets us accept the difficulty that we may experience with unstructured timing, while simultaneously designing our days to feel more productive. As always, strategies and coping skills are most effective when tailored to a specific personality and interests. However, some ideas can include: volunteering in the community, setting aside specific time for social activities, reading, journaling, soaking up natural sunlight, and creating a daily schedule. In the article “The Power of Routines in Your Mental Health”, psychologist Mariana Plata mentions the idea of a ‘procrastination vortex’(Plata, 2018). She noted how remaining in a vacation mindset pushed her further and further from her goals and aspirations. Creating a routine allows us to make meaning, identify goals and values, and pursue them. When we work to follow our values, we are more likely to feel productive, and in turn our self-confidence increases. As the sun begins setting earlier, it can feel tempting to want to settle for the night as well. Sometimes, that break and relaxation is wanted, and may even be essential for our mental health. For most days however, creating a routine can help us to meet our daily expectations and provides minimal space to fall into the ‘procrastination vortex’, even if the sun has now slumbered for the evening.

Wintertime can be difficult for many reasons, including the potential of interacting with people who increase discomfort and anxiety. Consider implementing a plan around the holiday time, and fostering a routine to limit feelings of procrastination and low self-worth. Seasons are limited, if the winter feels gloomy for you that is okay; the sun will reappear and remind us that dark days do not last forever. 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with substance use or an emotional crisis, help is available. Text or call 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to speak with a caring counselor 24/7.

Works Cited:

Plata, M. (2018, October 4). The power of routines in your mental health. Psychology Today. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gen-y-psy/201810/the-power-of-routines-in-your-mental-health