As spring approaches, the cold of winter still lingers as the semester moves into March. With freezing numbers and cloudy skies over East Tennessee State University comes cases of seasonal depression, otherwise known as seasonal affective disorder, among students. This occurs in cold months such as winter and fall when the weather may take a toll on an individual’s mental health socially as well as academically.

Kevin Smith is the assistant director of Clinical Services and oversees clinical functioning and the counseling center at ETSU. As a director, he mentions the activity flow of student counseling and how it aligns with cold months.

“It’s not uncommon to see depression rise as you approach December holidays,” Smith said. “There’s an impact, or scariness, about affording things, seeing people.”

According to the center, winter break marks a relief period for many, seeing a dip in visitors in January. It then rises once again as the cold months continue and a semester begins. The center is prepared for ETSU and responds to demands by working on a short-term focused approach, with a target number of sessions available to cover goal creation and completion, Smith mentions.

(Leah Smith/East Tennessean)

“The ebbs and flows can be used as an advantage because you know what you’re working with,” Smith said. “Also, engaging with those depressive highs and lows can give us meaning or connection to what’s really important to us.”

The counseling center caters to all students via different approaches, a popular one being the “Let’s Talk” program in which they offer open hours for quick, informal counseling sessions if students need to work through small issues that can be taken care of through a conversation.

With mental health needs and counseling on the rise, the demand of accessible help in universities and colleges is at a high as mental health awareness spreads. Seasonal depression, though prevalent, can serve as a time of reflection and awareness.

“It’s not just that it’s seasonal affective in a down way, it’s seasonal affective in an introspective way,” Smith said.

Looking into the future, the center is focusing on a peer-to-peer support system, exploring different formats in which assistance could be provided. With online scheduling and various options of curated help with an insightful needs assessment, students may reach out to take care of their mental well-being as the cold passes and spring arrives.

For more information on the counseling center and how to get involved, please visit etsu.edu/students/counseling/.

Author