What is Seasonal Depression?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression correlated with the changing of seasons. Typically once summer falls into the past and autumn begins, people start to show signs of SAD. Although people can be affected in the spring and summer months, seasonal depression is normally associated with the fall and winter months. SAD is catalyzed by natural causes. Within seasonal shifts, the weather conditions shift as well; the sun goes down earlier, and the outside weather becomes unbearable to be in. Therefore, being in a darker environment and staying indoors more than normal can cause SAD symptoms. According to research made by the Cleveland Clinic, “If you’re at risk of SAD, you may already have less serotonin activity. Since sunlight helps regulate serotonin, a lack of sunlight in the winter can make the situation worse. Serotonin levels can fall further, leading to depression” (Cleveland Clinic). This chemical, serotonin, is what is released when you are happy. So, the changing of seasons may hinder the normal chemical release of serotonin, causing SAD to occur.
What are the Symptoms and How Do You Treat SAD?
Symptoms of SAD vary in extremity and severity. The Cleveland Clinic says that some symptoms include extreme fatigue, feeling depressed all day, weight gain, excessive sleep, and suicidal thoughts. Thankfully, there are simple and effective methods of treatment for these symptoms. The first method is classified as “light therapy”. This form of therapy is done using a special lamp; a person is prescribed to sit under this lamp for 10-15 minutes about every day. Light therapy helps strategically counteract the lack of sunlight a person is receiving during the fall and winter seasons. A more common form of treatment, an antidepressant medication, also results in a more mild case of SAD. If you do not have access to any of these treatment methods, there are many small things you can do to slowly cure the sadness. By eating healthy foods, getting exercise, and being around people you enjoy, you should see more signs of happiness appear in your daily life!
