When the light fades, your mood can too

Every year, as winter approaches, many people feel a drop in energy, persistent fatigue, or a sadness that’s hard to explain. This is known as seasonal depression, a form of depression linked to the lack of sunlight and changes in daily rhythm.

It can show up as loss of interest, sleep difficulties, irritability, sugar cravings, or social withdrawal. If these symptoms sound familiar, you’re not alone. And this is exactly where a social worker can make a meaningful difference.

The role of a social worker in mental health

A social worker, also called a psychosocial practitioner, plays a key role in mental health support, especially during this time of year. His work addresses psychological, relational, and social aspects of your well-being, with one clear goal: helping you find a healthier balance.

While he is not a psychologist or psychiatrist, a social worker can support you if you are experiencing anxiety, depressive symptoms, or feeling lost. His approach is not based on psychotherapy, but rather on a complete psychosocial support that considers your emotional experience, your social reality, and your environment as a whole.

Anxiety, stress, low energy: regaining emotional and social balance

Seasonal depression can diminish your motivation and your self-confidence. A social worker helps you put words to what you feel, identify the sources of your anxiety or distress, and understand what keeps these symptoms going.

Through attentive listening and a careful analysis of your situation, he helps you distinguish between what comes from your psychological world (thoughts, emotions, worries) and what comes from your social context (daily rhythm, isolation, relationships). This process aims to restore your sense of control by helping you clarify your needs and take concrete action on what can realistically change.

Mental health challenges often affect self-esteem and your sense of personal effectiveness. He can also support you in rebuilding a strong and positive sense of identity by helping you:

  • Identify your strengths and accomplishments;
  • Set small, realistic, and progressive goals;
  • Rebuild a positive self-image.

Step by step, he contributes to restoring your self-esteem, confidence, and sense of capability.

Improving the relationships around you

Winter and seasonal depression often lead to social withdrawal. A social worker helps you gradually break out of isolation and reconnect with others, at your pace and within your comfort zone.

He also supports you in understanding your relational dynamics: how you interact with others, express emotions, communicate, and form attachments. His role is to encourage clear, respectful communication, emotional expression in a safe environment, and the strengthening of family or social bonds during difficult times.

In some situations (anxiety, depression, dependence), relationships can become unbalanced, swinging between excessive dependence and isolation. Our practitioner helps you:

  • Find a healthy balance between autonomy and connection;
  • Recognize your relational needs (support, belonging, recognition);
  • Learn to set healthy boundaries.

In doing so, he helps you build more stable, supportive, and nurturing relationships. A key element of recovery and mental well-being.

Breaking isolation: practical support for everyday life

Isolation often makes emotional distress worse. A social worker guides you through a gradual process of reconnecting with others, at your own pace, while providing tools to better manage emotions and the fear of social interaction.

He can also help you organize your daily life to regain a more balanced rhythm. Structuring your days, creating routines, respecting your limits and capacities, and taking care of yourself along the way.

A human, compassionate, and complementary approach

The approach of our social worker in Vaudreuil-Dorion is rooted in active listening, understanding your lived experience, and finding solutions adapted to your reality.

Her support can also be integrated into an interdisciplinary plan. In collaboration with other health professionals (psychologists, occupational therapists, doctors, physiotherapists, etc.), she offers you comprehensive and coherent care.

Thanks to her human, warm, and supportive approach, our social worker, Sarah, becomes a valuable ally in helping you regain safety, confidence, and balance, even through the darkest months of the year.