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'Getting To Be Too Much:' 2020 Piling On Stressors, Rain Dumping More On Seasonal Blues

ELK GROVE (CBS13) — If the gloomy skies have you feeling down, you're not alone.

The gray clouds and raindrops were bound to happen, but they're something we haven't seen in a while. And it seems when it rains it pours in 2020. A new survey by the California Health Care Foundation found 91% of providers are seeing an increase in patients reporting anxiety, depression and even thoughts of suicide.

"I personally know people who are young and who've talked about suicide and I've talked to them and said that's a very permanent thing to hopefully a temporary situation," said Sam Chiecchi.

Psychologist Diane Powell told CBS13 extra stressors this year including the pandemic and the recent election are bound to have an impact on Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

"You're talking about other major stressors," said Powell. "There's a concern that more people are going to be depressed this year because of all the stressors out there. Now on top of that if you have SAD. It's going to be worse."

"And then adding this and the lockdown. It's just getting to be too much," said Chiecchi.

Powell recommends light therapy for SAD. She says sitting close to a lamp with a bulb that has 10,000 lux or is low on UV is proven to help. If you don't have that special bulb, Powell says 20 minutes in the morning next to any light is better than nothing.

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