Video: Fighting the Winter Blues

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – This time of year you can expect gray skies and cold winter weather but for some people, it can lead to bouts of depression.

“With it being the winter months, it’s colder outside. People are less likely to get out and socialize. So the chances of isolation as well as depression starts to increase,” says mental health Therapist Christopher Gosa of Community Counseling Services.

Gosa says there are a few things you should look for to determine if you or a loved one may be suffering from the winter blues.

“People tend to be more irritable. Again, they isolate themselves. They may start to sleep more. You may see a change in appetite or change in energy level,” says Gosa.

So what can you do if the winter weather is bringing you down?

“One thing would be to try to decrease isolation. Have a support system – spending more time around family, around friends, to really decrease the isolation. I think that would be the main key,” says Gosa.

In the meantime, bundle up and stay dry until spring time arrives.