SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER AND ALCOHOL
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of recurrent depression that typically emerges in the fall and winter months as daylight decreases. Common symptoms include low mood, fatigue, hypersomnia (excessive sleeping), social withdrawal, carbohydrate cravings, and reduced motivation. These same months are also associated with increased alcohol use—creating a dangerous feedback loop that can worsen both mood and functioning.
HOW ALCOHOL INTERACTS WITH SAD
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and can significantly exacerbate the core features of SAD:
• Mood dysregulation: Alcohol temporarily increases dopamine but ultimately lowers baseline mood and worsens depressive symptoms (World Health Organization, 2022).
• Sleep disruption: While alcohol may help with sleep onset, it fragments sleep architecture, worsening fatigue and low energy—already hallmark symptoms of SAD (Roehrs & Roth, 2001).
• Circadian rhythm interference: SAD is closely tied to circadian misalignment; alcohol further disrupts melatonin regulation and sleep–wake cycles (Hasler et al., 2010).
• Reduced treatment response: Alcohol use can blunt the effectiveness of first-line SAD treatments such as light therapy, psychotherapy, and antidepressants (Lam et al., 2016).
Reducing or eliminating alcohol during the winter months can be a powerful, low-risk intervention for people experiencing seasonal mood changes:
• Improved energy and sleep quality
• More stable mood and emotional regulation
• Better engagement with evidence-based treatments (light therapy, CBT-SAD, exercise)
• Increased self-efficacy and insight into emotional triggers and coping needs
Importantly, cutting back does not have to mean lifelong abstinence. For many, seasonal sobriety or intentional reduction is a pragmatic mental health strategy—similar to adjusting sleep, diet, or exercise during winter months.
WHY CUTTING BACK—OR CHOOSING SOBRIETY—CAN HELP
A COMPASSIONATE FRAME
SAD is not a personal failure, and neither is struggling with alcohol during darker months. Alcohol is often used as an understandable attempt to self-soothe symptoms like loneliness, anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), or exhaustion. A compassionate, non-moralizing approach—focused on curiosity rather than control—leads to better outcomes and more sustainable change.
Level Best Books is proud to announce the acquisition of The Shame COMPASS: A Radical Framework for Trauma Healing and Self-Acceptance by Frank Spinelli, MD. This groundbreaking work of narrative nonfiction marks a significant addition to our growing list of books at the intersection of personal memoir and transformative self-help.
The Shame COMPASS challenges everything we think we know about shame. Rather than treating shame as an obstacle to overcome or an emotion to eliminate, Dr. Spinelli — a licensed physician, patient-focused researcher, and certified health coach — reframes it as a navigational instrument: a compass pointing directly toward our deepest wounds, our most important values, and our most urgent healing work.
Dr. Spinelli weaves unflinching personal memoir with a rigorous, seven-stage framework — Confront, Observe, Map, Process, Accept, Sustain, Serve — that teaches readers to decode shame's messages rather than run from them. The result is a book that is at once a page-turning account of one man's descent and recovery, and a practical, evidence-based guide for anyone carrying shame they have never learned to read.
"Frank Spinelli brings something rare to this genre," said the editors at Level Best Books. "He has the clinical authority of a physician-researcher, the hard-won wisdom of a survivor, and the narrative courage to document both without flinching. The Shame Compass doesn't offer false comfort or easy answers. It offers something more valuable: a new language for one of the most universal and least understood human experiences."
Dr. Spinelli has appeared on ABC News, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times discussing trauma, resilience, and institutional betrayal. His 2013 memoir Pee-Shy, about childhood sexual abuse brought his story to national attention and led directly to his testimony in the BSA bankruptcy proceedings.
The Shame COMPASS is forthcoming from Level Best Books. Publication date is August 2026.
🧧 The Chinese New Year just carried us out of the Year of the Snake. 🐍
In Chinese tradition, the Snake is a symbol of deep wisdom, quiet introspection, and transformation — and its most powerful act is shedding its skin. It does not grieve what it leaves behind. It releases what no longer fits, and it moves forward, lighter.
Now we enter the Year of the Horse. 🐎
The Horse is energy, freedom, momentum, and wild forward motion. It does not look back at what it left. It runs.
For those of us on a journey with alcohol — whether we have stepped away completely or are choosing to drink less — this transition carries real meaning. We have been in a year of shedding. Now we are being called to run.
What the Snake symbolizes, neuroscience confirms. When we change our relationship with alcohol, our brains begin a remarkable process of physical repair — not metaphorical renewal, but literal structural change.
There is also science behind why the turning of a year — or any meaningful threshold — creates a genuine psychological opening for change.
The "Fresh Start Effect," documented by behavioral scientists Dai, Milkman, and Riis, demonstrates that temporal landmarks — a new year, a birthday, a significant date — create a measurable psychological separation between who we were and who we are becoming.
The research found that people are significantly more motivated to pursue aspirational goals immediately following these markers. Milkman described it this way: those past failures belong to the old you. This is the new you.
The Snake teaches us that letting go is not loss — it is the condition for growth. The Horse reminds us that forward motion is not reckless — it is freedom, earned.
Ask these two questions:
🐍 What are you leaving behind in the Year of the Snake — and what does it feel like to finally set it down?
🐎 What are you running with in the Year of the Horse — what possibility, what version of yourself, what life are you galloping toward?
Redefining Romance This Valentine’s Day
1. Redefine Romance Without Alcohol
Valentine's Day has been sold to us as champagne toasts and wine-soaked dinners, but real romance doesn't require a drink. Plan a date that centers connection, not consumption: cook together at home, take a sunset walk, have a game night, or book a couples massage. If you're going out, choose a restaurant known for great food and ambiance—not their cocktail menu. Remember: intimacy deepens when you're fully present, not buzzed.
Action: Make reservations somewhere alcohol isn't the centerpiece—a cooking class, escape room, art exhibit, or dessert cafe.
2. Have a Plan (and a Non-Alcoholic Drink in Hand)
If you're celebrating at a restaurant or party where alcohol will be present, decide in advance what you'll drink instead. Order a mocktail, sparkling water with lime, or fancy Italian soda—something special that feels celebratory. Having a drink in hand reduces the awkwardness of declining offers and signals to others (and yourself) that you're set.
Action: Research the menu ahead of time. Know what you'll order before you sit down so you're not caught off-guard.
3. Communicate Openly With Your Partner (or Date)
If you're in a relationship, talk to your partner before Valentine's Day. Let them know sobriety is a priority and ask for their support—whether that means skipping alcohol together, choosing a sober-friendly venue, or simply not making a big deal if you order something different. If you're dating someone new, a simple "I don't drink" is enough. You don't owe anyone an explanation, but honesty sets the tone for authentic connection.
Action: Have the conversation a few days in advance so there's no awkwardness on the day itself.
4. Focus on What You're Gaining, Not What You're Missing
Valentine's Day can trigger FOMO—"Everyone else is drinking champagne, why can't I?" Flip the script. You're not missing out; you're choosing clarity, presence, and a morning without regret. You'll remember the entire evening. You'll actually taste your meal. You'll have real conversations. You won't wake up anxious or ashamed. That's not deprivation—that's freedom.
Action: Write down 3 reasons you're choosing sobriety this Valentine's Day. Keep the list on your phone and read it if cravings or FOMO hit.
5. Create Your Own Tradition
If traditional Valentine's Day celebrations feel triggering or tied to old drinking habits, start fresh. Create a new tradition that celebrates love, self-care, or connection in a way that feels authentic to you. Host a Galentine's/Palentine's brunch, write love letters to people who've supported your recovery, volunteer together, or have a solo self-care night with your favorite movie and takeout. Valentine's Day doesn't have to look like the commercials—it can be whatever you make it.
Action: Plan something intentional that excites you, whether solo, with friends, or with a partner. Make it your day.
Why Dry January Is Beneficial—and Why It's Grown So Popular
Abstaining from alcohol for a month allows the body to recalibrate. Within weeks, we often see improvements in sleep quality, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, liver enzyme levels, and inflammation. Alcohol disrupts REM sleep and stresses the liver; removing it—even temporarily—gives these systems time to recover. Many people also notice clearer thinking, improved mood stability, and increased energy.
One of the most compelling benefits involves neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to adapt and rewire itself. Research suggests that it takes roughly 30 days for new neural pathways to begin forming, particularly around habits and reward processing. Alcohol reinforces dopamine-driven loops related to stress relief and social bonding. A month without drinking can weaken those loops and strengthen alternative coping pathways, such as exercise, mindfulness, or improved social connection without alcohol. This is often why people report that cravings diminish noticeably after the first few weeks.
Dry January has also become popular because it reframes behavior change as temporary and achievable, rather than absolute or moralistic. A 30-day reset feels manageable and nonjudgmental, especially after the excesses of the holidays. Socially, it has gained traction as more people question the role alcohol plays in stress, mental health, and productivity—particularly among younger adults who are increasingly health-conscious and open to sober-curious lifestyles.
Importantly, Dry January isn't about abstinence forever. It's about creating awareness. Even for people who return to drinking afterward, many report more mindful consumption, fewer binge episodes, and a clearer understanding of how alcohol affects their mood, sleep, and stress levels.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Level Best Books Acquires Frank Spinelli's Latest Psychological Thriller
"Precious Friends: Murder in Sag Harbor" Marks Third Installment in Acclaimed Angelo Perrotta Mystery Series
Frederick, MD – Level Best Books, the award-winning independent publisher specializing in crime fiction and mystery novels, has announced the acquisition of Frank Spinelli's highly anticipated psychological thriller, Precious Friends: Murder in Sag Harbor, the third book in the critically acclaimed Angelo Perrotta Mystery series.
The latest installment promises to deliver the same gripping psychological depth and intricate plotting that have made Spinelli's previous works standouts in the mystery genre. Set against the backdrop of the affluent Hamptons community of Sag Harbor, the novel follows JB Pulaski as he navigates a web of secrets, betrayal, and murder among a tight-knit group of longtime friends.
Precious Friends: Murder in Sag Harbor explores themes of loyalty, deception, and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath the surface of even the closest relationships. Behind the gated driveways and manicured lawns of the Hamptons lies a rarefied world where appearances are everything and loyalty is currency.
Precious Friends is a masterful dissection of privilege, marriage, and moral compromise in the Hamptons, written with razor-sharp wit and devastating precision.
"I'm excited to work with Level Best Books on the Angelo Perrotta series," said Frank Spinelli. "Sag Harbor provides the perfect setting for this particular story – a place where old money, new wealth, and hidden resentments create the ideal storm for murder."
Level Best Books has built a reputation for publishing high-quality crime fiction from both established and emerging authors. The publisher has received numerous awards and recognition for their commitment to the mystery genre.
Precious Friends: Murder in Sag Harbor is scheduled for publication in June 2026. The book will be available in paperback and digital formats through major retailers and independent bookstores.
Listen up.
Podcast host and author Shawn Reilly Simmons and Dr. Frank chat about his fiction and nonfiction writing career, a medical career and how it influences his writing, walking around as your character for a week, leaving good reviews, Stephen King, and Frank’s great advice for writer and for life in general.
No Angels Wept Afterward
I wrote No Angels Wept over the course of nine years. In that time the story went through a series of revisions, the last of which I completed in 2016, when I decided to shelve the idea.
In that version—a dark one, since the book had been inspired by a 2014 NY Times article describing a revolutionary approach to treating veterans suffering with PTSD—I spent several days working on the central character who employed a psychomotor therapy that was neither widely practiced nor supported by clinical studies. Despite my decision to shelve the story, I found myself consumed with notion that in the wrong hands a psychological framework to treat a past trauma could lead to irreparable damage if used for nefarious purposes.
In 2021, I concocted an alternate story. Still employing the same psychological framework plus a new experimental neurocognitive medication, the central character’s main objective was forced gay conversion therapy orchestrated behind the veil of Christianity. Operating under the assumption that men who identify as gay are victims of a suppressed trauma. Once those memories were recovered and reset, these men would no longer see themselves as gay.
But gay conversion therapy is a thing of the past, I argued. A discredited practice just like repressed memory therapy, which Harvard psychologist Richard McNally called “the worst catastrophe to befall the mental-health field since the lobotomy era.” Yet, some right-wing religious groups still promote the concept that individuals can change their sexual orientation even though research on such efforts has disproven these methods and demonstrated the significant harm, particularly among LGBTQ+ youth.
For many reasons, I’m happy with this version of No Angels Wept though I never imagined at the time of its completion that Mike Johnson–the newly elected Speaker of the House–had partnered with an anti-gay conversion therapy group.
Had No Angels Wept been a work-in-progress at the time of Mike Johnson’s nomination, I would have acknowledged the popularity of his right-wing anti-gay agenda as a contributing factor to this story instead of an imaginative artifact inspired by a NY Times article. What I once considered an unbelievable idea now doesn’t seem that far out of the realm of possibilities.
Out the Window
〰️
Out the Window 〰️
What begins as an idea takes shape in my dreams. What sparks creativity is what I see everyday looking out the window.
Many writers have written about how they combat writer's block. Some suggest taking a break, going for a stroll, and even taking up a hobby because the longer you obsess over what to write about, the harder it becomes.
Some find a room with a view too distracting. I don't. In fact, gazing out the window is healthier for your eyes than staring at a blank computer screen. Nothing beats closing weary eyes. What better way is there to give your eyes a much needed rest. But sometimes, I find myself blissfully distracted by the sky, the buildings, and especially, the people below. Even if it's just for a few minutes I can't think of anything better.
Others have written that writing in a location other than the place where you normally write might inspire you. I find that to be true. Sometimes I take notebook to the park and sit on a bench, listening to people's conversations. Yes, I'm that person. Other times, I observe people's interactions. Their mannerisms. Their hand gestures and postures. But nothing, I mean, nothing beats listening to other people's conversations. Sometimes I hear a conversation or a sharp quip, and immediately, I type it as a message to myself on my phone.
Fortunately, there is a park right outside my building. I have the luxury of seeing and visiting it every day. Frankie and I are lucky that way.
Out the Window
The Body Doesn’t Forget
In 2013, Kensington Books published my memoir, Pee-Shy, in which I recounted the years of sexual abuse I endured by my Scoutmaster and the long journey to bring him to justice. Throughout adulthood, I have read many books on trauma. I even contributed a chapter to Richard Gartner’s Understanding the Understanding sexual Betrayal of Boys and Men: The Trauma of Sexual Abuse, published by Routledge in 2017.
A good colleague and best friend suggested I read The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD, published by Penguin Publishing Group in 2014 and updated in 2022. Kolk writes that regardless of the type of abuse: sexual, violent, loss of job, loss of loved one or illness, trauma affects all of us.
We have all experienced trauma, having survived the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us contraced COVID-19. Some, like me, had it twice. Many of us lost dear friends, family and colleagues, not to mention the fear of the unknown and sheltering in place. We will never fully understand the residual trauma imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic until we have had enough distance to look back on it with any objectivity.
“In The Body Keeps the Score, Kolk uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.”
Most importantly, Kolk explores the positive impact of creative outlets like dancing and writing and mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga, which can facilitate brain remodeling to stop the pain.
Early on in my healing journey, I sought the help of a therapist who encouraged me to paint as a way to heal. Later, I found writing as an outlet, and I haven’t stopped since.