| Do not be sad this winter, give your self esteem a | | | | One method of combating seasonal affective |
| boost and conquer seasonal affective disorder | | | | disorder is by increasing the light levels that you |
| (S.A.D.). Many people suffer from what is now known | | | | receive to compensate for the lack of sunlight by |
| as winter depression, and if you live in the northern | | | | using a special light box or light visor. However there |
| hemisphere as I do where winter is gathering pace, | | | | can be side effects when using this method which |
| you are more likely to suffer from it than someone | | | | may include headaches, eye strain, irritability and |
| south of the equator. | | | | fatigue, many of the symptoms that are trying to |
| The common symptoms of seasonal affective | | | | prevent or cure. Obviously anyone with light sensitive |
| disorder will consist of tiredness, lack of energy, | | | | skin would need to take extra care if using a light |
| irritability, a preference for starchy or sweet foods | | | | box. |
| which will often lead to putting on excess weight, | | | | Since discovering self hypnosis I have found that I |
| sleeping during the day time and overlaying in the | | | | am able to control my mindset and prepare myself |
| mornings plus a general feeling of wanting to keep | | | | for the dark days of winter. If for instance I feel a |
| yourself to yourself and being anti-social. | | | | gloomy mood descending I am able to trigger off a |
| Of course all of this is made worse with the thought | | | | happy and pleasing image which in turn leads to a |
| of all of the Christmas and New Year celebrations | | | | feeling of warmth which energizes me and sends the |
| ahead of you, a time when high energy levels are | | | | dark clouds packing. Of course not everyone is able |
| needed. You really do not want to be a part of it all, | | | | to do this straight away, but with practice it will |
| a feeling which deepens the depression and can be a | | | | become almost second nature. |
| very painful experience, both for the sufferer and | | | | So my advice this autumn is to prepare yourself for |
| their family and friends. Seasonal affective disorder is | | | | winter now, practice some self hypnosis and you can |
| not confined to winter as it can also affect some | | | | save yourself from having a sad winter and enjoy |
| people in the summer months which are again high | | | | the Christmas and New Year festivities to the full. |
| energy level months with holidays and weekend | | | | Once you have mastered sending yourself into |
| outings going on all of the time. But with the sun | | | | trance you will find that just a few minutes when |
| feeding us energy it tends not to be as severe as in | | | | needed will suffice to enable you to feel the benefits |
| the dark, cold and damp winter months. | | | | self hypnosis can bring you. |