Over the last couple of months we have talked about ways you can prevent physical accidents. However, while preventing injury causing accidents is important and it can help you to preserve your ability to qualify for long term health care insurance, physical injuries are not the only hazard you face during the winter months. Emotional and psychological problems can also develop during the winter months.
January is a rough month for your psyche. The weather is cold, you spend long hours couped up in your house and the days are short and dreary. All of these factors add up to a high risk month for emotional disorders like depression. Depression is a condition that can strike anyone. Depression is brought on by event, chemical imbalances and by your physical surroundings. What is interesting about depression is that it produces different symptoms in different people. Some people feel tired, some feel sad and some even feel physical pain caused by their depression.
Depression can be exhibited as an acute, or temporary condition. Acute episodes of depression can be brought on by bereavement or other depressing events. Some people develop depression in January because they don’t have a holiday to look forward to for a number of months, while others develop depression episodes because they aren’t getting enough exposure to human interactions.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also referred to as SAD, can also develop during this time of the year, especially if you live in the north latitudes. SAD is caused by a chemical deficiency caused by limited exposure to sunlight. This condition can be treated with St. John’s Wort, prescription medication and even light therapy.