Many people notice a shift in mood and energy as the seasons change, particularly during the darker, colder months. While commonly understood as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this experience often extends beyond a simple reaction to diminished daylight. From a psychoanalytic vantage point, seasonal depression can reflect not only biological rhythms but also deeper psychic patterns linked to loss, cycles of separation, and unconscious conflicts about vitality and retreat.

For some, the shortening days echo an inner sense of constriction or dormant grief. Long nights and colder weather may unconsciously evoke memories of past loneliness or times of emotional deprivation. Others find that winter brings a collapse in motivation and hope, accompanied by guilt or self-reproach that feels familiar yet inexplicable.

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Common Signs of Seasonal Depression

• Loss of interest in work, relationships, or activities once enjoyed

• Heightened irritability or withdrawal from others

• Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or self-criticism during certain times of year

• Recurring patterns of sadness or longing linked to specific seasons or anniversaries

• Low energy, increased sleep, or excessive fatigue

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A Place to Reflect & Revitalize

In psychoanalytic work, the therapeutic relationship becomes a stable container in which to explore these cyclical patterns. Together, we can examine the layers beneath the seasonal downturn: the meanings you assign to light and darkness, the ways you may unconsciously retreat to manage psychic pain, and how early experiences may shape your relationship to nourishment, rest, and renewal.

This process does not simply aim to “cure” sadness but to understand its function and to expand your capacity to live more fully through all seasons.

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