HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – The seasons are changing, and that shift can bring much more than cooler weather — it can can also take a toll on your mental health. New studies by counseling group Thriveworks ranks Harrisonburg as the No. 2 city for experiencing the most seasonal depression.
Holly Humphreys, a registered art therapist (ATR) and a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with Thriveworks, said the reason why Harrisonburg is ranked so high is because the city is home to a large college demographic, and seasonal affective disorder is more common in young adults. Younger populations are most likely more comfortable using Google to search “seasonal depression,” which could contribute to higher Google search analysis results.
Thriveworks’ results come from research that was conducted over an eight-week time period, from mid-August to the end of September over the past six years.
“There has been a spike in Google search data where people are actually searching a seasonal depression during that time period, and it seems like it spikes during mid-November,” Humphreys said.
Cooler months come along with the holiday season. Humphreys said people tend to place high expectations on themselves during the holidays and that loneliness is a growing issue during this time of year.
“It’s also recognizing that maybe we aren’t able to engage in those activities or family gatherings because we are out of town, or you have family that is out of town that will not be able to come or attend or you have lost people since the last holiday,” Humphreys said.
Harrisonburg is not the only city experiencing a lot of seasonal depression. According to Thriveworks’ study, seasonal depression is an issue in other cities around the country as well:
Idaho Falls, IdahoHarrisonburg, VirginiaSpringfield, MassachusettsSalt Lake City, UtahSyracuse, New YorkMissoula, MontanaOttumwa, IowaBowling Green, KentuckyBinghamton, New YorkUtica, New York
Humphreys said seasonal depression is different then regular “seasonal blues.” For seasonal depression, symptoms resolve at the end of the seasonal period.
An example would be if someone develops symptoms at the beginning of fall, and then if that person sees them go away by springtime. That person may also experience the seasonal pattern for at least two years, Humphreys said.
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