Dr Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc

Mental Health Awareness Month

A lot of discussion surrounds awareness of SAD (seasonal affective disorder), what it is, when it happens, things to do to try and stop it. And if you are someone who already suffers from depression things can get amplified.

BUT not everyone suffers from SAD in the winter.

I decided to do a little google search. . .for a friend. . . ok for me.

- I mean, could I really be the ONLY person who experiences an increase in their crippling depression in the Spring?

- Am I the only person who as May carries on into June feels paralyzed and on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

- Am I as crazy as I feel?

Why didn’t I think to start researching this 2 years ago when I couldn’t take the increase in my depression any longer and caved and went to my general practitioner in tears because I couldn’t get my mind to quiet?

I don’t know.

Anyway, yes there are definitely articles about Springtime SAD. And yes, it does make me feel better that I am not the only person who experiences an uptick in their depression symptoms in the Spring.

In the words of Matthew McConaughey in his audiobook, Greenlights:

“Sometimes you see we don’t need advice, sometimes we just need to hear we’re not the only one.”

Face it. These last SEVERAL years have not been easy. Not just for me. But in my case I really think it’s been even more difficult than making the decision in 2012 that I couldn’t stay in my marriage.

Suffering from Endometriosis is probably a MASSIVE component contributing to depression in my life. I’ve been in physical pain of varying degrees since I was 12. . .12. . . (screaming) 12 and this was AFTER finding out when I was 7 that my father had Multiple Sclerosis.

Fast forward to my 20s still in massive pain, no Dr listening to me regarding my pain, sporadic kidney stones, 3 miscarriages, finally getting diagnosed at 28 with endo and having major laparotic surgery, an ovary removed. . . and then undergoing IVF. . .

Then add the bullsh!t of my Dr almost killing me in 2017 and needing 2 years to recover because surprise surprise I went back to work too soon after losing almost every drop of blood in my body and everything else that ensued in the following weeks. AND did I mention managing the PTSD from that experience and the PTSD of dealing with the psychotic attorneys that were in my office when I moved? (I think I have shared about them in other blogs).

Oh and lets just throw in Covid and the sh!tstorm it put on the world and all of us small business owners. . .

Truth?

Today, in this moment, I am hanging on by a thread, I am still standing but if the wind blows too strong I am done for.

My body, mind, and spirit have been through the f*cking ringer.

Let’s also throw in that I am a nurturer by nature and constantly tend to put the needs of everyone else before myself and then wondering why I suffer from depression. Physically, emotionally, and financially - I need to get my sh!t together. I’m going to be 50 next month FFS.

Last year, after being on a low dose of Zoloft for a year, I still managed to slip into a deep Spring Depressive episode. Letting my practice fall to the wayside by May and not coming out of it until maybe (?) September.

This year, it is now the end of May and I have not completely fallen off the face of the earth. (WOOO HOOOO) Fingers and toes crossed that I can manage it enough until the end of June and not disappear. However, I did not address the fact that May is Mental Health Awareness Month until the last day of May. So. . .

My goal is to try not to fall off the face of the earth, to continue to educate in a fun and snarky way on my social media pages, blogs, and in person events, and to continue making art.

I am fighting the urge to over-commit to things that I know I cannot do with the current bandwidth I have - especially at this time of year. It’s not easy, I am a people pleaser - even if it means I am left in a pile of mush, sitting in the corner crying at the expense of my sanity, I am a people pleaser to a fault.

Back to Springtime SAD (did I mention I also think I have ADHD?).

What have I found in my search for sanity? Springtime SAD is real, it's also referred to as Reverse SAD, and as I suspected in my case probably caused by my own natural biorhythm being thrown completely in the crapper with daylight savings time. Can we please get rid of this already?

For others it might be triggered by allergies, the pressure to be more social when one suffers from social anxiety, weather, and can include some of the following symptoms: (https://www.healthline.com/health/spring-depression#symptoms)

a general low mood, which might include persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness
less or no interest in your usual activities
difficulty finding the motivation for your regular daily routine
changes in energy, including lethargy or restlessness
insomnia and other sleep difficulties
trouble with concentrating or remembering information [spring is the ONLY time I have trouble with these]
appetite or weight loss
unusual agitation or irritability
feelings of anger or aggression
thoughts of death, dying, or suicide

Regardless of the cause, my goal for myself and my patients is to ALWAYS help them achieve balance. AND I am not a purist. I utilize western and Asian Medicine for myself and for my patients. I cannot even fathom how much worse this would be for me if I did not get Acupuncture, Massage, Chiro, and take my supplements.

Having gone through some pretty dark moments helps me help others through their darker moments.

BUT, you need to maintain a healthy relationship with your therapist AND take any meds you are prescribed to maintain the most optimal physical and mental well being.

For additional resources, please reach out to me and let me help you be a healthier you. Whether it is that you need to find a therapist to help or whether you need an Acupuncture reset - I am here to help.

Boland, Matthew. “Spring Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.” Healthline, 31 January 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/spring-depression#symptoms. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Smith, Kathleen. “Spring Depression (Reverse SAD): Causes, Treatments & More.” Psycom.net, https://www.psycom.net/seasonal-affective-disorder/spring-depression. Accessed 16 May 2023.