Book Review: Winter Blues: Everything You Need To Know About Seasonal Affective Disorder

 

 

 

                                          Published 9/23/16 on comfortspringstation.com

 

I first read Winter Blues by Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal back in the 1980s when the first edition was printed. It quickly became a bestseller as people were hungry for information about this newly discovered diagnosis, Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some of us have trouble in the fall as the days shorten and the days become grayer. My mother used to phone me periodically with "the blues". She'd say, "I don't know why I'm so blue. There's no reason."  

As for my reaction to light, I always hated January & February as a young girl. I’d say it was because the holidays were over and it was cold, but I now know I too am sensitive to the loss of sunlight. Gray skies and empty trees are my image of winter when my energy diminished. In fall 1986, my mother became seriously ill. I was between jobs and moved from Miami to my sister’s home in Michigan to help care for Mamma. That first October, I almost went into the fetal position. It wasn’t the cold; it was the darkness.  In 31 days, there were 28 gray days. It was like a gray blanket covered the sky and the sun was extinguished.

When I read Winter Blues, I finally understood my mother and myself.  It explained why at the age of 27, I moved to Miami from Tennessee and absolutely loved the bright days.I have lived in Tennessee and Michigan, both beautiful states, but I cannot happily live there long-term.

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder

 

• When the dark days of winter approach, do you feel sluggish and slow? Is it a struggle to get out of bed each morning? 

• Do you have difficulty focusing at work or in relationships, feel down in the dumps, or, worse still, get really depressed? 

• Does it get harder than ever to stick to a healthy diet and control your weight?

   

   

  If you or someone you know has these symptoms, you really need to read this book. Now in its 4th edition, Winter Blues is a perennial bestseller. When it was first released, it was declared a landmark book defining SAD and offering solutions. It is packed with information to help you evaluate your own seasonality and seek relief.

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