Coping with the Seasons: A Cognitive Behavioral Approach to Seasonal Affective Disorder, Workbook

Do you find yourself becoming depressed as winter approaches? Do the "winter blues" affect your ability to get through the day? Do you experience a loss of pleasure in your daily life during the winter season? Does your mood lift with the return of spring? If so, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder or SAD. This workbook can help you learn strategies to overcome the "winter blues" this year and for years to come. It can be used as part of an individual or group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) program, which may also be combined with light therapy.
To help you understand SAD, this workbook describes possible causes and how symptoms progress. Each chapter corresponds to a session of therapy so you can easily follow along with the program. You will learn effective techniques to reduce SAD symptoms and improve your mood. One important strategy is scheduling pleasant activities into your daily routine. Another is evaluating your thoughts and beliefs and changing them to be more positive. Forms are included to help you put these techniques into practice.
With your new awareness and skills, you can stop SAD symptoms from getting worse and prevent future SAD episodes. You do not have to give into the "winter blues" and wait for spring to feel better. By taking steps now, you can regain control of your life and increase your well-being this winter.