Winter is a season that brings various types of emotions and moods to people.
It's cold, gloomy and windy days affect our bodies and mental health in many ways, from positive to negative reactions.
It’s necessary to be aware, even knowing winter will always come eventually, of the factors that can influence how an individual may go through this season, especially since many things can influence people's moods.
Here in Canada, a country with one of the coldest winters in the world, it’s very difficult not to be affected by the winter blues at least once.
According to the University of California, this “winter depression” is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and produces multiple symptoms such as loss of interest, lack of energy, feeling sad, among others.
The main causes of this type of depression are the lack of sunlight and Vitamin D (which we usually get from the sun) and the cold weather, common conditions of winter.
This affects people no matter their background or country of origin. However, it is certainly more noticeable in newcomers not used to cold weather coming from countries with no winters or cold weather at all.
Two or three per cent of Canadians experience or have experienced SAD, and around 15 per cent have felt the winter blues in the country, according to CIC News.
Two weeks ago, the city of Toronto registered its snowiest Nov. 9 in more than 50 years, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The reality of a cold winter is finally hitting us hard.
Because of all of this, we must acknowledge that this happens and that people suffer from it, and while it doesn’t exempt us from our responsibilities, empathy and understanding of the issue can make a difference.
This is also a reminder to keep yourself active as much as possible. Any kind of distraction and activity will help to reduce any symptoms, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) say one out of five people experience mental health problems, with 60 per cent of people not seeking help due to fear of being labelled.
We, as individuals, need to be more empathetic with those suffering from this depression. We don't know if we’ll be dealing with depression in the future.
As with many things in life, this is eventually a temporary condition that will decline as the season ends and spring arrives, accompanied by warmer temperatures and more sunlight, but since the cold season is just starting, there’s still a long way before getting to that point.
