Hawaii Island Recovery 
With the winter months can come many unique challenges, both for those overcoming addiction and mental health disorders and for those simply looking to continue living a healthy daily life. Feelings of isolation and the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are common across the winter season, making it easy to fall into unhealthy routines that can negatively affect each person’s mental health and well-being. However, overcoming SAD and feelings of isolation and maintaining positive mental health is always possible, and Hawaii Island Recovery is available to help each person explore their best approach to navigating the challenges of winter.
Isolation in Winter
For some, winter can be an amazing, beautiful time. Many people may look forward to the season’s festivities, from beautiful falling snow to celebrating the holidays. However, others can face many unique challenges, especially regarding feelings of isolation.
First, the fewer daylight hours can make it difficult to engage in personal hobbies and self-care outlets, and the increased hours of darkness can make it seem like a person doesn’t have the energy or time to meet with friends or attend social events. Likewise, cold temperatures can also comprise other social outlets, with many social functions like sports leagues, hobby groups, and more either being inaccessible or canceled during the holiday season.
These feelings of isolation in winter can lead to a plethora of detrimental effects on a person’s mental health, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Compromised daily routines
- Low motivation
- Fatigue
- Increased substance use
Feelings of isolation can also lead to an increase in suicidal ideation in some people, not only feeling isolated from others but even feeling as if other people do not care about a person or their wellbeing.
The Effects of SAD on Daily Life
Feelings of isolation can also just be one factor that a person has to navigate during the winter season, with some people experiencing isolation as one symptom of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is a form of depression that is connected to the unique challenges of the changing seasons, most commonly throughout winter, also known as the “winter blues.” However, while experiencing SAD in the winter is most common, it is also possible to experience SAD at other times of the year, including spring or summer. Recognizing the symptoms of SAD and how it impacts positive mental health is the first step in creating a plan for the season ahead.
SAD is incredibly common, and while it is difficult to know exactly how many people live with this common disorder, millions of adults across the United States experience it every year. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t have intense effects on each person’s mental health.
Mental and Physical Fatigue
One of the most common symptoms of SAD is the feeling of fatigue. This can manifest as physical fatigue, making it difficult to get out of bed in the morning or motivating the body to move. However, mental fatigue is also common, making it difficult to focus on tasks and decreasing productivity.
This fatigue can also lead to further compromised self-care outlets as a person may not be willing to engage in otherwise practiced hobbies or attend social gatherings, creating a cycle of difficult emotions that can last throughout the season.
Compromised Daily Routines
SAD can also affect daily routines, disrupting expectations and compromising sleep schedules. This can make it difficult to get a full night’s rest or introduce feelings of exhaustion and stress across the day. Others may find it difficult to start personal tasks if they are not part of a consistent routine due to it being difficult to maintain energy. Inconsistent daily routines can also make it focus on school, work, or personal goals.
Compromised daily routines can also impact regular mealtimes, causing a person to skip meals or replace them with unhealthy foods or eating habits. Overeating, snacking, or an overall unhealthy diet are common in those affected by compromised routines of SAD. However, dieting and mental health are closely related, and these unhealthy habits can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety, and otherwise make it difficult to maintain positive mental health.
Emotional Challenges
While SAD can bring intense feelings of depression, it can also affect positive mental health in other ways. Some of the emotional challenges of SAD include:
- Sadness
- Hopelessness
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Anger
- Ambivalence
It is also common to feel “empty” or disconnected from loved ones, each of which can further negatively impact positive mental health. These emotional effects can also decrease a person’s resilience to new stresses, with stressful events affecting a person more heavily than before and bringing further feelings of frustration or anxiety in daily life.
Increased Use of Addictive Substances
Feelings of isolation, depression, frustration, and more are difficult to cope with. SAD can not just bring these challenges but also make it difficult to engage in regular self-care opportunities or social circles, leading to an increase in the chances of self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. However, this substance use can worsen the effects of anxiety and depression and compromise emotional resilience when the effects of these substances wear off, creating a dangerous cycle of use that can lead to addiction.
SAD can be especially challenging for those already in recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) or drug addiction. Increased urges and cravings are common due to SAD. Working with professionals like those available at Hawaii Island Recovery can help those in recovery continue to prioritize their sober life and positive mental health while developing new grounding strategies and relapse prevention strategies to use throughout the season to maintain their hard-earned sober life.
Feeling Trapped in a Cycle
SAD can cause a person to feel less motivated to attend what available social events are possible, leading to a cycle of depression and isolation in daily life. Canceling plans, leaving early, or being unable to enjoy company are all common effects of SAD that can impact positive mental health this winter. Garnering the motivation to overcome the effects of isolation and SAD can be one of the most difficult parts of reclaiming a routine and positive mental health this season. Working with professionals may be necessary to explore personal motivations and set effective goals throughout the holiday and winter months while prioritizing positive mental health practices.
Maintaining Positive Mental Health This Winter
Overcoming the effects of SAD and the impact of isolation in winter can be difficult, and it is common to feel trapped, exhausted, unmotivated, or hopeless in the face of their effects. However, there are always ways that each person can plan to maintain positive mental health this winter and start the New Year with a healthy mindset.
For some, working alongside family members to create a plan can lead to effective and sustainable change. In contrast, others may benefit from working with dedicated mental health and addiction professionals like those at Hawaii Island Recovery to develop a comprehensive and effective plan.
There Will Be Challenges
Each year and season can be a little different, and it is normal not to know exactly what to expect with each change in the seasons. Even those who experience SAD each year and have navigated its effects in the past can vary in how intensely it affects them. Maintaining positive health means not just having a plan to address the negative effects of isolation and SAD but also understanding that experiencing these challenges doesn’t mean that healing and change are impossible. Staying mentally flexible can improve resilience and each person’s ability to address new challenges that may arise.
Likewise, those in recovery and pursuing a life of sobriety may not be sure what to expect this winter, or how urges and cravings may manifest throughout the season. While expecting the worst at all times can be stressful, it is important to plan for some challenges this winter and work to develop a few different ideas on how to handle them.
Effective use of mindfulness strategies can help each person recognize when these challenges may also be manifesting and empower each person to take action in the face of new stresses and challenges. Using daily breathing exercises, founding strategies, meditation, journaling, or other mindfulness practices can help each person recognize new challenges and triggers that may impact their efforts to maintain positive mental health and be proactive about addressing the sources of these stresses effectively.
Making Use of Light and Light Therapy for Positive Mental Health
SAD is largely associated with the dwindling number of daylight hours, with the lack of natural light being a major factor in feelings of isolation and depression. Making the most of the available light can help maintain positive mental health.
For some, this means opening curtains around the house and getting outside when possible during daylight hours to challenge feelings of perpetual night and isolation. Keeping living areas well-lit or having lights on timers to add consistent daily light can help maintain positive mental health.
However, others may need some additional support, and lightbox therapy can be a useful strategy for challenging the effects of SAD. Lightboxes mimic natural light and can help those affected by SAD start the day with light and a calming atmosphere despite the time of day. Using lightboxes as a part of a morning routine or self-care outlet, such as starting the day off with time to read or eat breakfast next to a lightbox, can be a transformative way to challenge fatigue and constant night while embracing positive mental health. Others can use lightboxes in frequented areas, from personal spaces to home offices and hobby areas to further address this need.
Set a Solid Routine for Positive Mental Health
A compromised routine can make it easy to feel out of control of daily life, increasing levels of stress and even mental or emotional disorganization. Working with professionals and support to establish a consistent routine can be the best way to ensure that each person can manage their expectations, energy, and resilience to maintain positive mental health. Not only can a solid routine help those in recovery or navigating the effects of SAD schedule tasks and responsibilities but it can also help rejuvenate a person through regular breaks, with consistency essential in maintaining positive mental health and adding a feeling of agency to daily life.
Having a set of regular alarms and keeping a schedule despite changing amounts of daylight can help establish this routine and maximize its benefits. These routines can also ensure that a person is accomplishing tasks and goals, bringing feelings of pride, accomplishment, and motivation to challenge feelings of hopelessness that may be prevalent.
Maintain Positive Mental Health by Staying Connected
SAD and isolation throughout the winter months can not just make it difficult to attend in-person social events but can also compromise communication with friends, family, and loved ones in every way. Staying connected can help maintain positive mental health throughout this difficult season.
For some friends and families, this can mean having scheduled daily or weekly phone calls or even committing to participating in an active text chain or group chat, which can all be important for staying connected and tending to social needs. Even on days when getting out of bed is difficult, sending just one message a day or reaching out to one person can go a long way in maintaining positive mental health and preventing the effects of isolation from further impacting daily life or informing other self-destructive coping strategies.
Access to a dedicated recovery community throughout the winter can also be instrumental for those prioritizing a healthy and sober daily life. Finding local outpatient support groups or using dedicated sober social media apps can help connect those in recovery with others overcoming similar challenges in a sober-curated environment.
Hawaii Island Recovery is also always just one call away to help each person through unique challenges or to provide an understanding and sympathetic ear to begin creating a plan to navigate these challenges.
Focus On Positive Mental Health by Healthy Eating
Eating healthy can significantly influence maintaining positive mental health, and focusing on a healthy diet can help challenge depression and fatigue in daily life. Keeping regular mealtimes, avoiding unnecessary snacking, and having at least one healthy meal a day can all be a great way to begin incorporating healthy eating habits that can challenge feelings of depression and SAD this winter.
Healthy eating can also be the beginning of other healthy habits that can further help maintain positive mental health. Proper dieting can lead to more consistent and healthy sleep routines that can also help overcome feelings of fatigue that may otherwise impact each person’s ability to engage in self-care or other strategies to overcome the effects of isolation and SAD.
Some Days Will Be Tough
It is normal to feel isolated from others from time to time. Just because there will be challenging days doesn’t mean such feelings are permanent. Some days will be harder than others, and allowing oneself some flexibility and forgiveness is part of improving overall resilience to feelings of isolation and SAD. Maintaining positive mental health doesn’t mean a person won’t feel down. Rather, these feelings are equally contextualized with positive elements in daily life.
Gratitude journals, reminders of past successes, and small daily goals can all help to get through the rougher days while developing a plan to improve mental health.
Finding the Approach That Works for You
No two journeys to positive mental health will be the same, and those overcoming feelings of isolation and the effects of SAD should feel empowered to find the strategies that work for them. Each person’s history with these challenges, past use of drugs or alcohol, and access to effective support at home will all impact each person’s journey.
Blending professional treatment like cognitive-behavioral therapy, experiential therapies, and spiritual guidance with practical, at-home strategies can create a truly personalized and comprehensive approach to depression treatment in Hawaii. Practicing mindfulness strategies, engaging in self-care, and developing relapse-prevention strategies that can be used at home are all part of maintaining positive mental health.
Feelings of isolation and the effects of SAD can create a difficult emotional state, and despite their ubiquity, they can be challenging to navigate. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we are available to help you take your first steps in challenging these feelings of isolation or the effects of SAD in your daily life. We offer comprehensive mental health treatment and addiction support to help you not just overcome these effects but create a truly fulfilling daily life in sobriety and healing. Our effective depression treatment in Hawaii uses proven therapies and addiction recovery techniques alongside experiential therapies, nature-based therapies, oceanic healing opportunities, and spiritual healing. For more information, call us at (866) 390-5070
