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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

SAD? – You Are Not Alone

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Friday, December 31, 2010   

AUGUSTA, Maine - Winter is here – and with it come snow, gray skies, cold temperatures and a lot less sunlight. These factors can have an adverse effect on the mental health of some Mainers. It's called Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) and it's more common than you may think, according to Michael Mitchell, clinical director for the Crisis and Counseling Center in Augusta. He says many of the state's residents suffer from the winter mood disorder and for some, the symptoms can be debilitating.

"There's some level of fatigue or listlessness, certain levels of apathy or even hopelessness; a loss of energy, generally speaking, which can result in things like social withdrawal. Or, anxiety may play out in some people."

Other symptoms can include oversleeping, irritability, weight gain and appetite changes, such as craving starchy foods. Mitchell says SAD can go hand-in-hand with other types of depression, but it is also a standalone condition - and can be more serous than the "winter blues" to which people sometimes refer.

"In general, more people are becoming more open to the idea of Seasonal Affective Disorder being a very real condition, and so, more and more family practitioners are aware of this, as well as mental health professionals."

Mitchell says the most important thing for those prone to this type of depression is to take care of themselves. There are various treatments available, such as medications, talk and group therapy, and light therapies. Mitchell adds to be sure to notify your doctor about any symptoms you may be experiencing.



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