Fall and winter are times of joy, family, gathering and thankfulness. Many families come together to celebrate the holiday season, playing games and socializing. While this seems to be the most wonderful time of the year, others may not agree.

Seasonal depression is classified as a mood disorder characterized by depression; however, it tends to happen around the same time each year. This disorder is a very common occurrence among teenagers today. Symptoms are most common during winter time.

Depression of any kind is a situation that many students experience, yet most choose not to seek help. Therapists, school counselors and many other healthy coping mechanisms are very helpful for recovery. When these solutions are utilized, they can improve one’s mentality. Although these resources are common, there are still quite a few teenagers struggling to get by.

Setting a goal can be a good start to helping yourself. When seasonal depression hits, goals like getting an A in a certain class, working out to get fit or even things like improving communication skills with your family can benefit your mental stability greatly while also enhancing your social life.

Many activities people enjoy to participate in are outdoors. This can become a problem when the cold weather moves in. The cold can make it seem like there’s no motivation to do anything active. Weather has a much bigger impact on our mental health than some would think. When it’s warm out, people want to be outside or are inclined to get more work done. Once October starts, we often see cloudier and colder weather which causes us to lose that drive and become depressed.

So as winter nears, make a safety plan to prepare for those days when depression seems overwhelming. The De Soto High School social worker Joe Kordalski can work one-on-one with students who experience seasonal depression and is encouraging to those struggling. Reach out, because seasonal depression can subside when you have a great support system around you.