Winter blues and what you can do to restore, reset

Summer in Alaska is the season for outdoor adventures. Fall is a season of Change. Often as we wrap up our summer fun and pack away the gear used for summer exploring and fall hunting, we mentally begin to put away our thoughts of moving and taking care of ourselves until the snow melts and the flowers mark the beginning of summer. As cold weather begins to set in we often burrow in for the long season of hibernation until we can come out when the weather warms and our energy increases again. Perhaps a shift in perspective might actually be useful in helping this winter be the season of internal growth and reflection.

A taboo subject

Mental Health is often considered a “taboo” subject. If I feel fatigued or physically sore, no one questions my checking in with my Primary Care Provider. How is it that if I am emotionally drained, feeling apathetic, or anxious; the need to be “completely overwhelmed” or a “nervous wreck” is required before checking in with a Behavioral Health Specialist? Counselors are trained to help identify internal emotional strains, perspective-based struggles, communication challenges and assist individuals as well as families in sorting out their plan for positive care. Perhaps this year you might consider allowing yourself, or someone you care about, permission to seek support in order to help avoid the extreme experiences that those with severe depression or acute anxiety encounter. These symptoms are often built up over time and exacerbated by resistance to seeking redirection and intervention in the early stages of onset.

Despite social indications to the contrary: “crazy” is not a diagnosis. Seeking support for your mental health or behavioral health needs is a sign of strength. Supporting this perspective can help minimize the stigma that occurs when people seek health and balance for themselves from many different sources. Whether that be through exercise, increased sleep routines, intentional eating, laughter or counseling. Seeking counsel with a professional clinician can assist desires to find balance with mood and emotions as well as clarity of thought.

Holidays present special challenges

November and December are chock full of holidays. The holidays can create additional stressors for people who at other times successfully convince themselves that they can stoically push through the emotional challenges in their lives without outside support or acknowledgment of their internal turmoil. Sometimes the holidays themselves are difficult as individuals who feel isolated or distant from family or friends might feel this more acutely when they witness celebrations of others, or long for the Norman Rockwell-like ideal festive holiday. For others the hustle and bustle of the holiday season provides distraction and occupation of thoughts, while the post holiday let down emphasizes the emotional complications of things not being quite what one would hope.

As the weather changes: consider how you can sort out your emotional materials in order to have more room in your storage spaces for things you want to hold onto. Change can be hard, yet imagine experiencing less cluttered emotional material each time you go out of the house, or come home. Perhaps this is the winter you can rest and restore your reserves rather than simply waiting for the warm sunny days to return to do it for you. The Mat-Su Valley is fortunate to benefit from qualified professional Behavioral Health Clinicians. Feel free to reach out for yourself or someone you care about to start a conversation with one. Basic human dignity indicates you are worth the investment of time and energy. Besides that the benefits could be longer in duration than our beautiful short Alaskan summer season.

Kayleen Hetrick, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor at Solstice Family Care in Wasilla. She supports families, adolescents and adults who are facing depression, anxiety, self-esteem or trauma recovery challenges. To schedule an appointment, call 352-1300 or go to SolsticeFamilyCare.com. Solstice is located at 1700 E. Bogard Road.