Here's How You can Beat Withdrawal Symptoms After Super Bowl Ends

The withdrawal symptoms that millions of fans will go through from not being able to watch football for months after the final play of the Super Bowl have been described.

The withdrawal symptoms that millions of fans will go through from not being able to watch football for months after the final play of the Super Bowl have been described by a Loyola University Medical Center psychiatrist.

Dr. Angelos Halaris explains that when a person engages in a pleasurable activity, such as watching a football game, a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) called dopamine is released in a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens.

Depression - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting approximately 340 million people in the world. No one is immune from depression - it occurs in people of all social classes, all countries and all cultural settings.

When the pleasurable activity ends, the person is left with a feeling of deprivation. It's similar to what a smoker feels when deprived of a cigarette-except there's no quick fix like a cigarette for the football fan.

"When the football season is over and there's no other game on the schedule for months, you're stuck, so you go through withdrawal," Halaris said.

For hard-core fans, the feeling can be similar to post-holiday blues, Halaris said.

Senior Citizens Get 'Tech Savvy' to Get Over Depression
By getting tech-savvy, senior citizens are fostering new engagements, bringing in positive change in their attitude, health, fighting depression and improving the quality of their lives.

Halaris offers tips for fans who suddenly have to face months without football.

He tells them to watch football on YouTube, or on recordings, in gradually diminishing amounts.

Depression � A Holistic Approach-Signs, Symptoms and Treatment
Depression is a common disorder and many worldwide suffer from depression. Early recognition of symptoms and signs of depression can help in taking a holistic approach to the management of depression.

He also advises people to share their feelings of withdrawal and letdown with a friend or spouse.

While it can be unpleasant, football withdrawal is not serious enough to require antidepressants or other medications. And do not self-medicate with drugs or alcohol.

Source-ANI