Becca Adleberg, LPC

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder and How to Cope

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, affects around 10 million Americans annually. More colloquially known as “seasonal depression,” SAD can play a large role in increased anxiety this time of year.

Ah, Fall. Pumpkin spice lattes have appeared, leaves are changing colors, and for some people, anxiety may be starting to feel worse. While the definitive cause of SAD is not entirely known, we DO know that fewer hours of sunlight affects our serotonin production, which is related to how our brains regulate the ‘off’ switch to our whether to react to stimuli with fight or flight response.

When our bodies are activated with anxiety, we tend to lean into the feelings and search our brains for what dangers may lie ahead. In the case of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, it is just the way our brains are wired. With less sun, however, hot human summer can turn into an anxious human fall, filled with mixed emotions and increased stress. This means that typical anxiety symptoms may feel out of the blue, resulting in panic, crying spells, disturbed sleep, and disturbed appetite.

Stop searching for the ‘why,’ and instead sit with the ‘what.’

If this sounds familiar, I’m here to remind you that it is okay when these feelings come up. The dreary days and gloomy weather will not last, much like how you feel now. But, while coping, the most important thing is to stop searching for the “why” and instead sit with the “what.”

I hear it all of the time in my office. “If I knew why I was feeling anxious, I could fix it, and I would feel better.” Unfortunately, the specific “why” does not exist for those of us struggling with SAD. As a result of our dysregulated fight or flight response, it can be tripped by various stimuli we aren’t even aware of when we don’t need our nervous system to activate. So, the more you search for the “why,” the longer you will increase the anxiety symptoms.

The “what,” on the other hand, is identifiable. Getting in touch with how we feel is essential to processing the anxiety and being compassionate with ourselves. We can counteract anxiety symptoms by leaning into things that are soothing and restorative in response to how we feel.

Here are a few suggestions to try and help cope with SAD:

1. I know you’ve heard it before, but believe me, get a sun lamp! I cannot recommend these enough. They are inexpensive and help your brain and body reset when it’s dark longer. In order for our circadian rhythm to understand when it is time to be awake and when it is time for bed, we need sunlight. These lamps help regulate serotonin production and aid in a better quality of sleep.

2. Go for walks, even if you have to bundle up. Getting outside of your space and into the fresh air can help your nervous system regulate. Exercise is extremely helpful in reducing anxiety symptoms!

3. Journal, journal, journal. Have too many thoughts in your brain? Write them out and leave them there. We do not need to engage with every intrusive thought that pops up, as convincing as they may feel. With darker days may come moodier thoughts, and it is imperative to treat them like clouds. See them, acknowledge them, and let them float away. The more we dwell in them, the more anxious we make ourselves.

Adding these practices to your seasonal routine can help you get through the gray days ahead and add some pumpkin spice serotonin to your fall!

Becca specializes in anxiety, depression, adolescents, OCD, and LGBTQ+ mental health. To learn more about Becca, read her bio here.

Looking for a therapist or unsure where to begin? Get started on our booking page.

How to Feel Confident in Your Halloween Costume This Year

Halloween has always been my favorite. Beginning October 1st, I consider spooky season officially upon us, and my clients see me in all of my glory. We’re talking spooky sweaters, pumpkin pants, glow-in-the-dark earrings, you name it. Then comes the penultimate day of Halloween. I always fill my home with little candy bowls in anticipation of trick-or-treaters or coworkers who need a little boost in their day. And of course, there’s my yearly costume, which I most likely came up with months ago, and wear with pride.

I make most of my costumes; the sparkles are sewn into each piece of fabric with love and care. Each piece I create proudly accentuates the body that I have and love. All of its curves and edges, painted with makeup and textures, transform me into whatever hilarious or glamorous creation I want. It looks even better after eating a pail full of my nephews trick-or-treat candy (I let him keep most, but hey, he’s 3, so I can still tell him sour is “spicy” and eat it).

Still, despite all the fun of this glorious holiday, it can be hard to feel confident in costumes when social media tells us we need to look a specific way. It can be even harder when influencers encourage us to achieve these looks by not eating candy or sweets.

This Halloween, I hope we can all strive to feel confident in our costumes and grounded in our bodies, even after a few treats.

I follow the ideology of body positivity, believing that we all deserve to celebrate how we look regardless of the patriarchal society. Who cares if the character you are trying to emulate is supposed to be a size 0 and you are a size 8? If you feel good, go for it! Or maybe you are afraid it will be “too revealing” or “too scandalous.” Costumes do not equal consent! Only you own your body, and you get to decide the rules for what to put on it.

The same goes for the things you put into it, which should be extra sweet or sour this Halloween! Candy is not the enemy. If you are inclined to eat some sweet treats- go for it! There should be no shame or compensation needed for celebrating.

Before the evening of festivities arrives, I encourage you to practice offering kindness to yourself in your costume. Stand in front of the mirror and say things about yourself that you like! It may be hard at first, but continued exposure to being nice will help ease that discomfort. Worried about what others might say? Remind yourself that at the core of this experience is YOUR body and YOUR costume, and whatever you wear should only matter to YOU.

The same goes for eating candy. Give yourself the space to acknowledge that it tastes good and that it’s okay. Avoid counting or checking calories and instead engage in mindful eating. While eating your favorite treat try to notice all the senses to enhance and enjoy the thing you are eating. With these tools, we can stay grounded in our bodies, allowing us to own our choices and feel confident.

Comparison is the thief of joy, so stay focused on how you are- a badass!

Becca specializes in anxiety, depression, adolescents, OCD, and LGBTQ+ mental health. To learn more about Becca, read her bio here.

Looking for a therapist or unsure where to begin? Get started on our booking page.

How to Spend Time with Self Love

There is a terrible cliche that goes: “you cannot love someone else until you can love yourself”. Over the years, there have been so many interpretations based on the original quote that have strayed far from the truth. Most of the time people misinterpret that you must love yourself fully before you can give love. It is dated, unfair, and it is time for a change! Let’s switch it up: “you can love yourself”. This Valentine’s Day, let’s dive into self-love!

At every intake my clients hear my golden Becca rule: be nice to yourself! I believe it is a radical act of social justice to stand up against society’s ideals. We can love the things that don’t make us “Instagramable” or “picture perfect” by social media standards. Society tells us that self-love is selfish or self indulgent; that loving yourself is something reserved for influencers and models. The only way we can “deserve” such love and praise is to be perfect. But fun fact, we get to define what it means to be perfect!

Self-love starts with self kindness and learning to radically accept yourself for the things you especially don’t like. Take a second to think about it, is there a reason you don’t like a certain part of you? If you answered “it’s because X is bad because Y says so”, you’ve probably fallen into the social media trap that we can only be valued by comparison. It becomes a slippery slope when we only value things based on others opinions. We need to first establish a sense of self that is rooted in love and compassion.

There are many different ways to begin implementing self-love into your life. Try one of these!

H – Hear these words: you are enough. Now your turn! Stand in front of a mirror and say these to yourself, out loud. “I Am Enough”.

E – Eat those Valentine’s treats! We don’t need to harbor guilt for the cute heart shaped cupcake we had.

A – Appreciate the things you don’t like. It might feel weird to start telling the things you don’t like that you love it, so begin with appreciation. We can take a tip from the body positivity movement and appreciate how our body functions for us. For example, we may hate the cellulite on our thighs, but we can begin to appreciate our skin’s elasticity and how it grows with us. If this does not feel helpful, you can try body neutrality. Ex: My body is my body and that is not important to who I am.

R – Rest more. Another myth to debunk? That productivity and relaxation are correlated. While things like cleaning and organizing might feel good to some, it is okay if for others the most restorative practices are watching TV on the couch. Listen to your body and take breaks when you want and need to.

T – Talk to someone! We sometimes feel alone in our struggles, but relating to a friend on these common human experiences is a helpful practice in self compassion. The more we extend kindness to their pain, the more we can give it to ourselves.

Hopefully these ideas can help you begin to bridge the gap between self kindness and self concept! Allow yourself to extend some kindness you would towards a friend to yourself. Remember at the end of the day, you can love yourself by giving the same love you would give someone else.

Becca specializes in anxiety, depression, adolescents, OCD, and LGBTQ+ mental health. To learn more about Becca, read her bio here.

Looking for a therapist or unsure where to begin? Get started on our booking page.