Autumn’s color is not always golden with pleasant coolness after the endless summer heat. This is the period of the strongest autumn depression for many individuals. At this point, almost everyone has experienced it in their lives for no apparent reason. Notably, this is a very serious problem. According to the World Health Organization, more than 260 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Often, the consequences of prolonged depressive states are deplorable.

Today, we will talk about the autumn blues and how you can recognize it on time to help you overcome it as soon as possible. However, if you feel that the problem is getting worse, you need to contact a good psychologist and not keep everything to yourself; this is the best option!

Symptoms of autumn depression

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a scientifically proven type of depression, which is actively researched by the US National Institute of Mental Health. According to scientists, the main symptoms of SAD are:

• drowsiness, constant feeling of lethargy, and decline in strength;

• a change in eating behavior — a person begins to eat a lot as well as eating carbohydrates more often;

• weight gain, sometimes quite rapid;

• attempts to drown depression with alcohol;

• the feeling of anxiety, exacerbation of the manifestation of fears;

• apathy and refusal of any activity.

The reasons for the autumn blues are not always precisely psychological factors. Sometimes, it can be caused by somatic pathologies, hormonal imbalances, or heredity. The reason is that autumn is the season when human immunity is weakened; we are more prone to colds and flu during this season. The coronavirus Covid-19 is not excluded because the slightest health problem can affect one’s psyche.

In addition, the lack of sunlight is a serious cause of autumn. The activity of serotonin in the brain decreases due to the lack of light. The shorter the day, the more a person can sink into a depressive state. It is curious that young people between the ages of 15-22 years, as well as people over 45 years old, suffer the most from seasonal depression.

How to deal with the autumn blues on your own

Pay more attention to your physical condition

It is very important to preserve the previous rhythm of life as much as possible with the onset of autumn — try to be active by playing sports, and do not lock yourself within four walls of your room. Certainly, when it rains outside daily, it becomes harder to stay active. However, nothing is impossible. Sign up for a gym, discover yoga, and try Nordic walking. Also, you can just fill up a thermos of hot tea at least once in a while, and go on small hikes outdoors close to home.

Our time outdoors is always the best form of getting a new portion of endorphins, even if not in the best weather. Why deny yourself this privilege? Even in the rain, you can wear a waterproof poncho or raincoat and feel quite comfortable.

Change the space and colors around you

Every week, in autumn, there are fewer bright colors around. During this period, the clothes people put on become grayer sharing a similar look. There is simply nothing to search for.

Your job is to add color! Try to update your wardrobe, and add more bright and tactile things. Buy lamps for your home that is similar to sunlight. They are quite inexpensive but will create a more pleasant atmosphere. In general, try to have more light around you during the day. Its deficiency only provokes apathy and causes decadent moods.

Enjoy delicacies that are harmless to your health

The human body needs protein for the human body to produce the joy hormone known as serotonin. This can be gotten from eating eggs, cottage cheese, fish, and meat. Also, these products are rich in essential amino acids. If you don't eat animal products, then mushrooms, bananas, dates, and nuts are good alternatives.

We recommend building a diet to enable your body to receive the maximum amino acids at breakfast. Additionally, it is helpful to add foods containing vitamins A, B, C, and D as well as magnesium, potassium, zinc, and selenium. Herbal teas with chamomile, lemon balm, and Griffonia improves one’s well-being and mood.

Make new acquaintances and do not close yourself

For many, autumn is a time of loneliness. There are fewer walks with friends, and it’s getting harder to force yourself to leave the house every day. However, this is not necessary. You can expand your circle of acquaintances without leaving your home. To do this, it is enough to use almost any dating site or live camchat. The second option is preferable since webcam chat saves a lot of time and does not require any extra actions from you.

We can recommend live cam chats such as Azar, Tinychat, coomeet.com/camchat and Camsurf. They have a large and active audience, and many convenient search options, including a gender filter if you want to get acquainted with representatives of a certain gender.

Cam-to-cam chat is an opportunity to communicate with new interesting people every day and get rid of the constant feeling of loneliness that takes over millions of people around the world with the onset of autumn.

Keep a daily schedule

When it's raining and cold outside, it can be very difficult to wake up in the morning. However, if you don’t have to hurry anywhere, it is extremely problematic to cope with the temptation to oversleep until 10-11 o’clock, or even longer. Firstly, you have succeeded in violating your daily routine. Secondly, by 16-17 hours, it becomes dark outside. That implies that you will find only 6-7 hours of daylight hours or less. The lack of sunlight is one of the main causes of the autumn blues.

Spend more time doing what you enjoy

Favorite hobbies, spending time with good friends, watching movies and TV shows, and reading exciting books help to distract you from the autumn depression and overcome it. No need to just sit and wait for apathy and breakdown to go away on their own. They will never go away, but will only intensify if nothing is done.

Try to keep yourself busy with something. The more you move, act, and do something, the less likely the autumn blues will get the better of you!

Let’s summarize

Many people begin to notice obvious signs of the autumn blues in early September, and these signs become more distinct over time. In October, mental health tends to level off a little, but as early as November, depression can reach its peak. It is at this time that it becomes most difficult to endure, and in some cases, professional help is required to improve your condition.

We sincerely hope that our advice will help you prevent or overcome the autumn blues. However, we repeat once again: if the problem worsens over time and no advice works, you should contact a good psychologist. This is completely normal! You’ll surely thank us in future.