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Removing The Stigma & May Mental Health Awareness Event

By Denise Holcomb, Founder & Executive Director of Removing The Stigma

May was Mental Health Awareness Month.  On May 22, Removing The Stigma presented its 1st Annual Bowl to Remove Stigma and Bring Awareness event at The Lanes Bowling Alley in Maple Heights, OH.

The event drew over 100 participants at $15.00 per ticket. The tickets covered everything to enjoy the day including shoes, balls, free pizza and drink, chips and cookies, and an open restaurant for those who wanted to purchase food.

But that’s not all—there was a kids’ zone full of games, prizes, face painting, balloon twister, spin wheel, and more. There was even a selfie booth room and door prizes. The event ended with a prize drawing of over twenty-five great giveaways and two short presentations by Beth DeJesus of the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County and myself, Denise Holcomb, Founder & Executive Director of Removing The Stigma.

We are looking forward to having the same event next year. Thanks to our sponsors the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, Life Is Better With You Here Campaign, the ADAMHS Board, and supporters like Dr. Cherrica Pulley, NAMI of Greater Cleveland, New Community Bible Fellowship, and the many volunteers and supporters who gave their money and time, we were able to offer the event at such a low price.

It was a great day with family and friends fighting stigma and gaining resources.

“Winter Blues” vs. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

By Denise Holcomb, Removing The Stigma

Along with the pandemic again this year, comes another giant of mental illness that individuals may have to fight called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The most difficult months for people with SAD are January and February. It may begin at any age, but it typically starts between ages 18 and 30. 

To understand what SAD is, it is best to begin by explaining what it is not. 

SAD is not the same as the “Winter Blues.” According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), “Winter Blues is a general term, NOT a medical diagnosis. It is fairly common and more mild than serious. It usually clears up on its own in a fairly short amount of time.” According to Dr. Matthew Rudorfer, a mental health expert at NIH, “the so-called winter blues are often linked to something specific, such as stressful holidays or reminders of absent loved ones.”

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of clinical depression, which relates to the change of season. The symptoms start in the fall, and continue into the winter months. SAD symptoms can last four to five months per year. The signs and symptoms of SAD include many of those associated with major depression.

Symptoms of major depression include:  

  • Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
  • Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Experiencing changes in appetite or weight
  • Having problems with sleep
  • Feeling sluggish or agitated
  • Having low energy
  • Feeling hopeless or worthless
  • Having difficulty concentrating
  • Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide

For winter-pattern SAD, additional specific symptoms may include:

  • Oversleeping (hypersomnia)
  • Overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates
  • Weight gain
  • Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)

There is also a SAD, which occurs in the spring and summer months called Summer-Pattern SAD.  

Specific systems for Summer-Pattern SAD may include:

  • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
  • Poor appetite, leading to weight loss
  • Restlessness and agitation
  • Anxiety
  • Episodes of violent behavior 

For more information about Seasonal Affective Disorder such as: 

  • How SAD is diagnosed
  • Who develops SAD
  • What causes SAD 
  • How SAD is treated

The following “self-care” tips may help with seasonal depression: 

  • See a mental health professional if sadness doesn’t go away or interferes with your daily life: 
  • Go to a movie, take a walk, go ice-skating, or do other activities you normally enjoy. 
  • Get out in the sunlight or brightly lit spaces, especially early in the day. 
  • Try to spend time with other people and confide in a trusted friend or relative. 
  • Eat nutritious foods, and avoid overloading on carbohydrates like cookies and candies. 
  • Be patient. You won’t suddenly “snap out of” depression. Your mood will improve gradually. 

If you have thoughts of suicide, get help right away. Call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800- 273-TALK (8255).

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