Many of us are familiar with the winter blues – who wants to get out of bed when it’s pitch black and bitingly cold out? But for some, despite common misconceptions, seasonal depression extends beyond those natural ebbs and flows in energy and drive that come and go with the seasons. It heralds lasting and often debilitating feelings of depression and lethargy that are rooted in actual changes in brain chemistry and can occur in any season. Having gone to college in upstate New York – where the winters were brutally long and cold – I had many friends who dealt with SAD, so I was interested in learning more about it.
Affecting around 10% of Americans, according to the National Library of Medicine, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a clinical recurring condition where symptoms associated with depression occur for 4-5 months out of the year. There are myriad claims and changing etiological theories around SAD, so keep reading if you’re interested in learning more about how to identify and treat SAD.
What are the symptoms of SAD?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of depression during specific seasons must occur for at least 2 consecutive years. Depression symptoms can include:
- Persisting sadness or feelings of emptiness
- Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or guilt
- Feelings of frustration or irritability
- Loss of interest or pleasure in usual hobbies
- Difficulty focusing or remembering
- Unexplained changes in sleep or weight
- Unexplained physical aches or lethargy
- Thoughts of death or suicide
For those who exhibit winter-pattern SAD, symptoms can also include:
- Oversleeping
- Social withdrawal
- Recurring overeating
For those with summer-pattern SAD, symptoms can also include:
- Insomnia
- Poor appetite
- Anxiety or agitation
- Aggression
Who develops SAD?
SAD is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions, affecting millions of Americans each season. While anyone can experience SAD, women, those struggling with other mental health conditions – especially bipolar II –, and those with family members who have SAD are more prone to developing it.
Additionally, because winter SAD is more common than summer SAD, Northern demographics are more prone to developing it because of their shorter daylight hours.
What causes SAD?
There are many studies around what causes SAD and still far more research to be done, but many studies show that the condition stems from lower serotonin and melatonin levels at different times of the year.
Those with winter SAD, for instance, are exposed to less sunlight, which can prevent the proper functioning of serotonin molecules and contribute to lower levels of serotonin activity.
Similarly, a Vitamin D deficiency can also exacerbate winter SAD because Vitamin D helps stimulate serotonin production and activity.
Ways to treat SAD:
There are four central treatments for SAD, which can be used in tandem with one another:
- Light therapy – a popular mainstay for winter SAD – exposes people to a bright light box (10,000 lux) to make up for compromised lighting in darker seasons and spaces.
- Vitamin D supplements intend to provide people with an extra boost of this serotonin-producing vitamin in the winter months
- Psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (which is one of the most popular treatments for depression) helps people cope with thinking patterns caused by depression.
- Medication, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, help combat disturbances in serotonin production. Like psychotherapy, it’s one of the most common treatments for depression, so it also helps with seasonal bouts of the condition.
If you think you might be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, reaching out to a mental health specialist or healthcare provider will help diagnose and find the right solution for you.
