Seahawks depression sets in

If you’re feeling a little blue after the exhilaration of the Seahawks Super Bowl winning season, you’re not alone. You’re totally normal, according to mental health professionals.

“It’s all very intoxicating,” says therapist and Antioch University faculty member Kirk Honda. “It’s like a drug. Leading up to the big game you have this natural high and then it’s all over and you crash.”

Honda, the host of the Psychology in Seattle podcast on KIRORadio.com, says the Seahawks success, and the excitement surrounding it creates a biological reaction, pumping us up with adrenaline and endorphins. Just think of how you felt when Richard Sherman tipped the pass that clinched the NFC Championship or when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. And after 700,000 or more fans packed the streets of Seattle for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, suddenly it’s all over.

“I would say that it’s normal to feel a loss because it is a loss,” Honda says. And after years of disappointment, to finally win a championship puts us in uncharted emotional territory.

So what are we supposed to do?

“I would suggest that people think about what they like about the experience of being a sports fan and try to recreate that in some other way. Find other ways to connect with neighbors, find other social experiences.”

It might seem trivial, but for some people, the attachment to their team is so strong, the end of the season can bring depression and other problems. They might have used the Seahawks as a distraction or developed an unhealthy obsession that can lead to other issues.

Honda says people shouldn’t feel embarrassed to seek professional help.

“Don’t be afraid to go to therapy. It can help with depression, find meaning in our lives, relationships, community,” he says.

On a lighter note, he does have one other suggestion: “There’s always the Mariners, right?”