Seasonal Affective Disorder Archives - Regional Psychological Services

January 2, 2024- Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) is a form of depression that occurs with the change of seasons. It tends to begin and end at the same time. It affects 5 percent of the U.S. population ,lasts about 4 months and is more frequent among women than men. It occurs in Michigan and similar weather areas during winter when it is cold,with short days and little sun. At a personal anecdotal level, I talked to four persons last week who all related they were getting tired of the overcast weather with the lack of sun and were getting run down and feeling sad. This condition clearly saps your energy and leads to a form of depression called SAD. Common characteristics of Seasonal Affective Disorder would include feeling sluggish, having low energy levels,sleeping too much or not enough, having difficulties concentrating on what needs to be done, substance abuse, feeling hopeless and even guilty for the feelings of depression, having no interest in things that normally keep the person interested and sometimes even excited, feeling sad and not enjoying good portions of the day if not the whole day, weight gain, changes in appetite that can include a craving for foods that are high in carbohydrates, and even suicide ideation and feeling it is not worth going on with these feelings. Fortunately suicide ideation is no not typical, but is something to be aware of in yourself or someone you really care about. There can be Seasonal Affective Disorder in the spring and summer but percentages are much higher in the northern parts of the country and world where there is a lack of sunshine, short days, cold temperatures and a high percentage of cloudy conditions without sun. These tend to be in areas far north and south of the equator. Causes of SAD would include a drop in serotonin levels, which is the brain chemical/neurotransmitter that affects the mood of persons and can play a major role in SAD. A lack of sunshine can also cause a drop in serotonin that may bring upon depression. Another cause would be melatonin levels which can negatively impact the balance of melatonin in the person which impacts a person’s sleep patterns and overall mood. Additionally, your biological clock – circadian rhythm – can disrupt your body’s internal clock by having a lack of sunshine that can bring upon depression. If you feel you are becoming particularly sad as the winter season progresses with the lack of sunshine, short days and cold temperatures, remedies would include medication for depression, counseling, exercising, replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts, a light box that replicates actual sunlight, a good diet and even if possible a vacation in the winter to parts of the country loaded with sunshine and warmer temperatures. Many persons just accept they have SAD and do not do enough to try to overcome it. If you start having problems due to SAD with substance abuse, problems with work, family or school, social withdrawal, and for sure with suicide ideation or thoughts, it is time to strongly consider meeting with a therapist who is an expert in SAD and also your medical doctor for potential medication and advice on how to best take care of yourself mentally and physically. If it happens yearly around the same time, it is wise to seek treatment before SAD begins.

Over the years, I have treated many anamur eskort kızlar persons for Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a common disorder in a State like Michigan when there are cold and overcast days in the Winter. I believe the following Question/Answer may be helpful to you or someone you love.

Question

I dread winter more every year. I get so down and lose so much energy. Poor concentration, feeling guilty, binge eating, sleeping every chance I get, always tired, lack of motivation, moodiness and being irritable is what I become. I’m there! I’m not like this during the rest of the year. At least bears get to hibernate and don’t torture themselves and others. I love to see people but now have no interest in seeing anyone. My family tries to be helpful but I can see they stay away from me when they can. What’s wrong with me and what can I do to change?

Answer

It appears you have what is commonly called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD. It is a seasonal depression that occurs generally between November and April in colder climates when days are short, clouds often are in the sky and the temperature is cold. In the Northern climates percentages of people are seen to range from approximately 3% to as high as 14%. This higher number probably also includes persons who get the Sub-Syndromal/Winter Blues and generally do not like winter but do not have the severe symptoms of major depression.

You have many of the classic symptoms of SAD: Lack of energy, sleeping all the time and still always being tired and run down, poor motivation, guilt for how you feel, eating too much, difficulty concentrating, irritable, little interest in social or daily activities. In a way, you are hibernating from your normal personality and life patterns. The lights have literally gone out for you emotionally.

As you are painfully aware, there is no doubt that SAD is a terrible depression that greatly impacts one’s life when one is experiencing it. Only recently has the general public come to understand it.

The following are some steps to take to help overcome your Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Exercise and keep your body healthy. This will also help keep your mind sharp.
Maintain a healthy and nutritious diet. You need to fight off food cravings.
Consider the use of Light Therapy to replace the lack of sunlight. Increments of 15 minutes to a few hours are typical at different times of the day. Mimicking dawn can be done with a timed light that acts as if the sun is coming up in your bedroom.
Counseling to help you be more productive and focus on the beauty of winter as well as helping you be out and about when your tendency, due to depression, is to sulk away in a dark corner of your home. It can help you develop your own overall multi-faceted program to end SAD once and for all.
Dress warmly and walk outside in the cold when the sun is out to both get exercise and grab as much sun as you can get. This is an action too often overlooked by persons with SAD.
Consider medication. Medications like Zoloft, Prozac and Welbutrin are often effective when prescribed for SAD. Talk to your family physician or psychiatrist as to what could be the most appropriate antidepressant to use.
A complete physical also might help to eliminate any other problems that are causing your symptoms.

It is not unusual for persons with SAD to use one or more of the above suggestions at the same time. For example, counseling and medication would be a common combination.

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