In the heart of winter, many of us can feel a bit gloomy. But experts say it can spur relapses in people who have struggled with substance abuse in the past. Psychologists have dubbed the unique sadness that overtakes some of us this time of year as Seasonal Affective Disorder.
“So if someone close to you recently died or you can’t be with loved ones or you’re just feeling down because you haven’t seen the sun in a while, it’s important to realize its normal to feel that sadness and grief and it’s okay to take some time to cry, express your feelings, and you can’t really force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season or because everybody’s being positive.”
That’s Marcel Arbuckle from the Empowerment Zone, a Detroit nonprofit that focuses on health and wellness. He says its important to reach out to loved ones and mental health professionals if you’re feeling low. Empowerment Zone will host a Zoom workshop on Wednesday afternoon. You can register through their Facebook page.
