Yellowknifers face 'winter blues'
It's not uncommon to feel down during the holidays
Simon Whitehouse
Northern News Services
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
With the Christmas season in full swing, not everyone is filled with peace and joy as seasonal depression, or Seasonal Affective Depression sets in. With additional pressures sometimes surrounding Christmas, the season can be tough for some.
George Tuccaro sings with his group of musicians at the Extended Care Unit at Stanton Territorial Hospital Sunday afternoon. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo |
Dr. Andre Corriveau, chief medical officer of the NWT, said it is quite common for people to feel down between late October and early March, but often the symptoms can be felt in December when the days are the shortest and darkest.
"There is an increase of people who feel down and changes (in) some of the chemicals in our brains because we need that exposure to daylight," he said.
"Even though our days are very short, the further North you go it is more difficult. It is important to get the sun right on your face because it is a trigger that goes straight to the brain. It keeps us in balance, basically. It affects our mood, our appetite."
Corriveau said he makes sure he gets out for at least an hour a day, just to get sunlight, but he said many people use special therapeutic lamps to ensure they get enough light.
Exercise and getting Vitamin D supplements are key in counter-balancing feeling down, he added.
"We know taking Vitamin D in the winter seems to have a little bit of an impact on SAD," he said. "We get most of it from the sun."
Corriveau said there are signs when depression goes beyond seasonal mood changes, such as when one develops suicidal thoughts, when one may need further serious medical attention. For this purpose psychiatrists are available at Stanton Territorial Hospital, he said.
At Christmastime there are many functions in the community that recognize people can get down this time of season. The United Church, for example, had its annual Service of Comfort Sunday to assist people who might feel lonely or out of place during the season.
Pastor Peter Chynoweth said of the 11 years he has been in town, this is the largest attendance the church has seen.
"The idea is that a lot of people find the Christmas season stressful and there is a lot of pressure to be jolly and merry at this time of the year even when someone may have suffered a loss of a loved one," he said. "It can be overwhelming for people. They can also feel down because of commercial pressure of the season so we try and gather and offer comforting words and support. A big part of it is that there are others in the same situation."
Musician George Tuccaro, commissioner of the NWT, hosted his annual sing-a-long with Lee and George Mandeville, John Tees, and Bobbi Bouvier at the extended care unit of Stanton Territorial Hospital Sunday afternoon. The group played for about 15 people, including patients from different units.
"There are people who really enjoy Christmas and who are bubbly and full of life, but there are others who go into themselves, who find they are depressed and Christmas is not a happy time for them," he said. He said he has tried to play music every year for the last 14 years.
"We try to raise spirits with music and let them
know we care."
