Southwest Counseling Associates

Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder, is a mood disorder and a set of annually recurring symptoms that affects people who enjoy otherwise normal health during the rest of the year. The symptoms come mostly during the winter and they are most common in geographic regions that get long, cold winters. The causes of seasonal depression can be linked to the shortness of winter days and to the scarcity of natural light during the cold months. Sunshine triggers the production of certain mood-enhancing chemicals, especially serotonin and melatonin, in the human body – when we see very little of the sun, our bodies cannot produce the hormones in sufficient quantities. The shortage generates symptoms that range from sleeping too much, fatigue, the lack of energy and motivation to do anything and, in most severe cases, depression. Some patients experience seasonal depression in spring and in summer. While winter depression usually takes the form of lost in...

Volunteering is beneficial not only for the community that you offer your help to or for the animals that you help with your work – According to Littleton therapists, it has enormous benefits for your overall health and well-being, for the way you feel about yourself and about others as well as about how you feel about your life and about your purpose in life. Helping others through volunteering is a great way for volunteers to help themselves and all these benefits can be summarized in one word: volunteer work makes you happier. Here are a few details to support the argument: -         Volunteering involves opening towards others, therefore it is a great and efficient way to combat feelings of isolation and depression; -         Volunteering usually involves intense work, therefore it can provide stimulation for the brain, improving alertness and concentration; -      ...