{"id":116621,"date":"2026-01-13T18:05:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/116621\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T18:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:05:06","slug":"students-confront-seasonal-depression-as-winter-approaches-the-famuan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/116621\/","title":{"rendered":"Students\u00a0confront\u00a0seasonal\u00a0depression as\u00a0winter\u00a0approaches\u00a0\u00a0 \u2013 The FAMUAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheA book titled \u201cJourneys into Madness\u201d resting on a table. (Khalil-Lullah Ballentine\/ The FAMUAN)\u00a0<\/p>\n

For many, winter can take a toll on overall well-being. Motivation begins to feel zapped, energy levels\u00a0drop\u00a0and self-care routines start to feel like chores. Seasonal depression can\u00a0sweep in\u00a0unexpectedly and fast.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anika Fields,\u00a0Director\u00a0of FAMU\u2019s Counseling Services, urges\u00a0students\u00a0not to\u00a0dismiss that yearly feeling as a simple case of \u201cwinter blues.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSeasonal depression happens in the colder seasons,\u201d\u00a0Fields said.\u00a0\u201cPeople may have symptoms that can last longer, where they will need medication\u00a0and also\u00a0need to be in therapy.\u00a0Often times, it would be effective to be in therapy and possibly on medication.\u00a0But once the weather changes to warmer again, they typically begin to feel better versus it just lingering.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Mayo Clinic\u00a0advises\u00a0that seasonal affective\u00a0disorder\u00a0should be taken seriously. Without treatment, it can worsen and lead to social isolation, substance\u00a0abuse,\u00a0or suicidal\u00a0thoughts.\u00a0Fields\u00a0said she often sees students\u00a0struggling\u00a0more around the holidays.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople become depressed due to the holidays and missing people who have passed away, or broken relationships that were mended during previous years,\u201d\u00a0Fields\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cMissing a loved one who passed,\u00a0like a mother,\u00a0and wondering \u2018who is going to cook the dressing or the signature meal they used to love?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Laila Nieves, a fourth-year psychology major,\u00a0said\u00a0the shift\u00a0happens subtly.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt starts with me not wanting to get out of bed,\u201d Nieves said. \u201cThen suddenly\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0canceling plans and losing interest in things I normally love. By December, I feel disconnected from everyone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abigail Eno, a fourth-year environmental engineering student, experiences similar patterns.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0far from home, and winter feels\u00a0isolating,\u201d Eno said.\u00a0\u201cI push through classes, but emotionally\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0draining. It feels like\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0carrying a weight no one can see.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fields\u00a0recommends\u00a0therapy as a method to provide support\u00a0and ensure students are mentally capable to\u00a0tackle\u00a0school\u00a0demands.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMindfulness is evidence-based, easy and\u00a0almost anyone\u00a0can do some form of it,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u201cBreathwork works with decreasing\u00a0stress.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

FAMU\u00a0Counseling Services offers in-person and virtual\u00a0sessions, group programs like \u201cMen Talk\u201d and \u201cWomen Talk,\u201d and partnerships with Better Minds for expanded access. Students can receive help by visiting Room 304 in the CASS Building or scheduling an appointment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFor students hesitant to receive help, please know it is not a scary situation,\u201d Fields said. \u201cIt is a safe place and confidential.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A book titled \u201cJourneys into Madness\u201d resting on a table. (Khalil-Lullah Ballentine\/ The FAMUAN)\u00a0 For many, winter can…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":116622,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[232,234,233],"class_list":{"0":"post-116621","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tallahassee","8":"tag-tallahassee","9":"tag-tallahassee-headlines","10":"tag-tallahassee-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116621\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}