Q&A: Getting through the dreary winter blues
CBC
With the holiday season behind us and colder, shorter days ahead, many of us may be feeling a bit .... blah.
London Morning host Andrew Brown spoke with Camille Quenneville, the CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, about beating the winter blues and staying on top of your mental health.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Andrew Brown: So what are the winter blues?
Camille Quenneville: Well, it's something I think we can all relate to to some extent. We have shorter days, it's darker, it's cold, and I think it's not unimaginable to feel a bit down.
AB: These feelings that most of us share this time of year—how are they different from something like seasonal affective disorder?
CQ: Seasonal affective disorder is actually a clinical diagnosis. It affects about three per cent of the Canadian population.
AB: And the feelings of being down in the winter—is that just more of a feeling than something clinical?
CQ: Yeah, about 15 per cent of Canadians indicate that they struggle with the winter blues and would seek treatment for that. But there is also a general malaise at this time of year.
AB: What are the signs that someone might be experiencing something more serious, like depression?
CQ: Anybody who moves away from their daily activities or stops engaging with those closest to them—it's time for a check-in and a conversation about whether they feel they need support.
LISTEN | Beating the winter blues after the holidays:
AB: As we look ahead, what kinds of things can we do to fend off these winter blues?
CQ: We can make deliberate decisions about how we take care of our mental health. There's often conversations this time of year about eating better and exercising more. Those are very good for mental health, but it's important to embark upon them with your mental well-being in mind. For example, going for a walk in nature or trying to get as much sunshine as possible is very beneficial. Making conscious decisions that positively impact mental health is a good start.
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