Seasonal Affective Disorder, often known as ‘winter blues,’ is a type of depression that waxes and wanes in a seasonal pattern.
Symptoms, according to the NHS, typically begin in the autumn as days start getting shorter. However, they become the most severe during December, January and February, when days are notably darker.
For people with ‘S.A.D.,’ low mood, loss of pleasure in normal activities, feelings of despair, lethargy and sleeping longer than normal are some of the side-effects of winter months. Iceland has one of the highest suicide rates, despite being known as one of the happiest countries. With some of the shortest days, it’s clear that S.A.D. is not a mock form of depression, but a real epidemic for a wide range of people.
The exact cause of S.A.D isn’t fully understood. The main theory is that a lack of sunlight may prevent parts of the hypothalamus from working properly, which affects productions of ‘happy hormones’ like melatonin and serotonin. Similarly, your body’s internal clock, or ‘circadian rhythm’ is disrupted with lower light levels. This, in combination with genetics, can contribute towards symptoms of depression.
During a time of year when people anticipate Christmas cheer, it’s hard to feel a disorienting sense of sadness for seemingly no ‘justified’ or legitimate reason. I spoke to a friend about her experiences and she said ‘S.A.D.,’ “The days in winter feel a lot shorter, so that can cause stress because it feels like you’ve only got until four o’clock in the afternoon to complete everything.”
She went on to say that, “For me, it heightens my depression, rather than coming out of nowhere.” I asked what she does to combat feeling down: “I try to be organized and then I feel like once I’ve got things sorted, the symptoms calm down. It’s easy to feel all wrapped up in everything, and the idea of the day running out, not being able to socialize because it’s so dark and cold, is the hardest part for me. Going on walks is a really important part of the day to me, so I always try and get out in the fresh air, regardless of how dark it is.”
When I asked my housemate if she suffers from ‘SAD,’ she said, “To an extent, everyone does.”
“There is an extent to which everyone is affected by the seasons and the weather. But what we often fail to realize is how debilitating the effects can be for some people and it’s not just that they don’t want to leave the house because it’s raining, it’s that they are sucked of all their energy, their enthusiasm for life and it forms a really severe depression that they feel they have no control over. It’s for that reason that we need to be hyper aware.”
Antidepressants, exercise and light therapies are some of the medically recommended treatments for feeling ‘SAD,’ but these, for those who actually suffer from the disorder, are considered somewhat of a taboo.
However, while there may not be a lot you can do to physically change the seasons, therapy lamps do help people wake up in the morning, as it makes you feel as if it’s daylight. Spend more time outdoors during the hours that it is light and turn all your lights on when you are working in your room. Light exercise, cups of tea, hot water bottles and steamy showers are also secret remedies, as they create the warmth that is lacking from the sunlight outdoors.
If you suffer from SAD, know you aren’t alone. Talk to your friends, go to the pub and make sure you keep your chin up as you plough through these winter months.