Winter weather is on its way, and it’s finally getting colder here in the South. Some girls from up North might enjoy this change in seasons, but many people find it difficult to handle, and not just because of the temperature. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that is controlled by the seasons. It begins and ends around the same time each year—typically in the fall and winter, but sometimes in the spring and summer.
Symptoms
Since it’s a type of depression, a lot of the main symptoms apply here as well: feeling depressed most of the day, feeling hopeless or worthless, having low energy, losing interest in things you enjoy, having problems with sleeping, experiencing changes in your appetite or weight, feeling sluggish or agitated, having difficulty concentrating and having frequent thoughts of death or suicide.
Symptoms that are also associated with winter-onset SAD can be: irritability, tiredness or low energy, problems getting along with other people, hypersensitivity to rejection, heavy “leaden” feeling in the arms or legs, oversleeping, appetite changes (especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates) and weight gain.
Summer-onset SAD will typically have symptoms such as: trouble sleeping, weight loss, poor appetite and agitation or anxiety.
Causes and Influences
While there isn’t a known cause yet, there are some factors that can influence your susceptibility.
Your circadian rhythm: less sunlight in the colder seasons can throw off your internal biological clock.
Your serotonin levels: Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in your brain that handles your moods, can also experience a drop due to reduced sunlight.
Your melatonin levels: changes in season can mess up your sleep schedule, which is ruled by melatonin, another neurotransmitter in your brain.
Who’s at risk?
There are a few people who have a slighter risk for SAD, but this doesn’t guarantee you’ll develop it: gender (women are msot susceptible), age, those who have family members with SAD or depression, those who suffer from depression or bipolar disorder and those who live far from the equator.
When to see a doctor
While feeling sad and down are normal parts of life, seeing a doctor should be considered when it lasts for a long period of time. Looming finals can leave you feeling unmotivated, but if you lose all motivation and find it hard to do basic things or things you like, that’s a key symptom. Sleeping and eating can be put in the back of your head in the Christmas chaos, but any drastic changes should be reported and taken care of as soon as possible. If you’re considering suicide or hurting yourself or others, seek help immediately, even if the other symptoms aren’t as prominent.
Treatments
There are four treatments for SAD that can be used alone or in combination: medication, light therapy, psychotherapy, and vitamin D.
The medication that is used to treat SAD is Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). It does have side effects like any other medicine, so make sure you talk to your doctor about risks and concerns.
Light therapy has been a treatment since the 1980s and has proven its power. It is meant to be a substitute for the lack of sunlight in the fall and winter, helping regulate serotonin and keeping melatonin levels regular. Those who benefit from this sit in front of a light box every day from the fall until spring for varying amounts of time. The cool-white fluorescent light is 10,000 lux and the light box filters out the ultraviolet rays.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is adapted for SAD and relies on the basic techniques of regular CBT, such as identifying negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. It also uses behavioral activation, which helps identify activities that help improve dealing with the winter.
While vitamin D hasn’t been shown to work by itself, pairing it with another treatment has shown effective. People with SAD were found to have low vitamin D levels, so taking supplements helps balance those levels.