Surviving the winter blues 撐過冬季帶來的憂鬱情緒

冬天是否會讓你鬱鬱寡歡？由於缺少陽光，很多人的心情都因此受到瞭影響。什麼是 “季節性情緒失調”？有哪些方法能幫助我們熬過寒冷陰鬱的冬季？本期 “隨身英語” 討論如何在寒冬時節調整心態。

詞匯：mental health 心理健康

It’s the middle of winter, and the prospect of warm sunny days is a long way off. For some of us, it’s the most depressing time of year, where daylight is limited and the weather is often miserable – this is when the winter blues set in. So what can be done to lift our spirits?

The shorter days and longer nights can make us feel down, and that can cause us to eat more and exercise less. Some fear loneliness and isolation during the long dark months. Those people who suffer this seasonal mood swing more seriously are described as having seasonal affective disorder – or SAD for short. It’s a type of depression with a seasonal pattern caused by a lack of light and is thought to affect the part of the brain that rules sleep, appetite, mood and activity levels.

Jenny Scott-Thompson is one person who was diagnosed with SAD. She told the AYYBLOG: “I struggled with periods of exhaustion and misery that seemed out of proportion to what was going on in my life.” She was prescribed light therapy, which involved sitting in front of a light box. As well as going outside during daylight hours, this is believed to help anyone who is affected by the winter gloom.

Although having more light is an obvious cure, antidepressants can help those with more severe depression by artificially elevating the amount of serotonin in the brain. But this isn’t suitable for everyone, and many of us can try to just alter our mindset. Clinical psychologist Laura Keyes says, “it can be helpful to think about how to adapt your eating and exercise patterns to the change of season, just as this happens in nature with plants and animals adapting.”

It might sound easier said than done, but accepting winter and thinking positively may energise us. Writing for the AYYBLOG Social website, Esther De La Ford asks “What if we explored what this phase of winter has to offer us, instead of grieving those things that it is taking away?” She suggests we use this time for rest, reflection, slowing down, stillness and renewal. Maybe this might stop us longing for summer?

詞匯表

depressing 令人消沉的，壓抑的
the winter blues 冬季憂鬱
lift someone’s spirits 提高興致，振奮精神
down 情緒低落的
loneliness 孤獨
mood swing 情緒波動
seasonal affective disorder 季節性情緒失調，俗稱 “冬季憂鬱癥”
depression 抑鬱癥
diagnosed 被診斷
exhaustion 筋疲力盡
light therapy 光照療法
antidepressant 抗抑鬱藥
serotonin 血清素
mindset 心態，思維模式
adapt 改變以適應變化
easier said than done 說時容易做時難
energise 使精力充沛
grieve 傷心，難過

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. What is it a lack of that affects the part of the brain that rules sleep, appetite, mood and activity levels?

2. How is it possible to get more light during winter?

3. How do antidepressants help cure depression?

4. What kind of mindset might help get us through the winter?

5. True or false? The short winter days can cause us to eat less.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Since my boyfriend dumped me, I’ve felt very _______.

depression down grieving loneliness

2. I’ve got to get into the _______ that I will pass my exams.

adapt mood swing energise mindset

3. Getting to the cafe after our long walk in the rain, really _______.

lifted our spirits lifts our spirits lifted a spirit lifting our spirits

4. My dad has been _______ with an ingrown toenail.

energised diagnosed exhausted grieving

5. Trying to build this wardrobe is _______ – the instructions made it look easy!

said easier than done easy said than done

easier said than done easier said than do

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. What is it a lack of that affects the part of the brain that rules sleep, appetite, mood and activity levels?
A lack of light is thought to affect the part of the brain that rules sleep, appetite, mood and activity levels.

2. How is it possible to get more light during winter?
We can get more light by sitting in front of a light box or going for walks during daylight hours.

3. How do antidepressants help cure depression?
Antidepressants can help those with more severe depression by artificially elevating the amount of serotonin in the brain.

4. What kind of mindset might help get us through the winter?
A positive mindset might energise us.

5. True or false? The short winter days can cause us to eat less.
False. The shorter days and longer nights can make us feel down and that can cause us to eat more and exercise less.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Since my boyfriend dumped me, I’ve felt very down.

2. I’ve got to get into the mindset that I will pass my exams.

3. Getting to the cafe after our long walk in the rain, really lifted our spirits.

4. My dad has been diagnosed with an ingrown toenail.

5. Trying to build this wardrobe is easier said than done – the instructions made it look easy!