The symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression, appear during late fall or early winter and typically remit during the warmer and lighter days of spring and summer. Interestingly, symptoms can all occur in the reverse. There are some people who suffer from this condition in the summer instead of, or in addition to, the fall or winter.
Clients are showing up in my practice reporting feeling low and ‘blah’ this time of the year. Symptoms of SAD include: depression, tiredness, fatigue, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, crying spells, irritability, weight gain, isolation, oversleeping, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, loss of sex drive, poor sleep and overeating.
What causes SAD?
The two theories purported to be the cause of SAD are the shift of our “internal body clocks” or the circadian rhythm and the production of melatonin in our bodies. As seasons change there is a shift in our biological internal clocks that may not be in sync with our daily schedules. Second, melatonin, a sleep related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain is produced at increased rates in the dark.
Treatments
The primary treatment for persons who suffer from SAD is photo light therapy, or the light box. The light box artificially simulates high-intensity sunlight. The person actually sits directly under the light for a minimum of 30 minutes a day right after early morning wakening. The light box is costly yet has produced positive results for persons experiencing SAD.
Medication used to treat depression may also be a choice for some who do not receive benefit from light therapy.
For milder forms of SAD, people are encouraged to seek out natural light outdoors and to increase the amount of lighting in their home and office. One study found that an hour’s walk in winter sunlight was effective as 2 ½ hours under bright artificial light. Likely the combination of movement and being in the sunlight helps to reset the brain and increases serotonin levels thereby decreasing the “moody blues.”
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In my practice I encourage people to get moving (increase physical activity), avoid long naps during the day, monitor their food choices and intake, and stay connected with others socially as effective ways to manage SAD.
Dr. Angela Roman Clack is a psychologist and licensed psychotherapist at Clack Associates, a counseling private practice in Southern New Jersey. She has been working in the mental health field for more 20 years. Dr. Angela earned her doctorate in 2002 with a degree in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University, Washington, D.C. Visit her website.
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Seasonal Depression: What To Do When Winter Gives You The Blues was originally published on blackdoctor.org
