How to shine a light on
what’s really wrong with you
by Kristen Sturt |November 27, 2018
If you find that your
mood is dropping along with the temperatures, you’re hardly alone. In fact,
experts believe that up to one in five Americans will experience the so-called
winter blues each year.
In most cases, winter
blues amount to some mood swings and minor social withdrawal, which correct
themselves as the Earth rotates back towards the sun.
But for millions of
others, their depressive symptoms are severe and long-lasting, affecting how
they eat, sleep, think, and relate to others.
One of those people
was Diana Lillo, 55. Though her symptoms changed a bit from year to year, every
winter she found herself with “depression for no apparent reason—a generalized
feeling of ‘doom and gloom’ even when nothing in particular was wrong.”
Lillo knew she needed
help when it began to affect her marriage. A psychiatrist ultimately diagnosed
her with SAD.
“Seasonal affective
disorder, or SAD, is clinical depression that follows a seasonal pattern,” says
Kelly Rohan, PhD, Professor of Psychological Science and Director of Clinical
Training at University of Vermont. Experts aren’t exactly sure why it occurs,
but they agree that a lack of sun plays a major role.
One theory is it
screws up your biological clock, leading to depressive symptoms. Or, it’s
possible that limited sunlight messes with brain chemicals, like serotonin and
melatonin, that affect sleep and mood.
As such, Americans
who live far from the Equator—say, in North Dakota—are more prone to SAD that
those who lives in sunnier climes. Women in general tend to suffer more than
men, and anyone with a family history of depression is definitely at higher
risk.
Left
untreated, SAD can be life-altering, and even incapacitating.
Older folks, too, may
mistake the signs of SAD as normal aging. And, they could have existing medical
issues that mimic some of the same symptoms.
Left untreated, SAD
can be life-altering, and even incapacitating—so it’s important to recognize
the signs. Here’s what you need to know.
SAD vs. the blues
If you have typical
winter blues your symptoms will likely be pretty mild. “Perhaps you feel a
little less energetic than you do in the summertime, and have some food
cravings that are unusual, like wanting to eat more carbohydrate-rich foods, or
you sleep a little more, but not substantially more,” says Rohan. These
feelings will often go away on their own, maybe after just a few days.
SAD, on the other
hand, usually causes more serious oversleeping, appetite changes, weight gain,
lethargy, and social withdrawal. You may also experience intense sadness,
feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, irritability, problems
concentrating, and even thoughts of suicide.
Moreover, if you have
SAD, those symptoms will hang around “for at least two weeks, if not longer,
most of the day, nearly every day,” says Rohan. They’ll affect your daily
function and ability to do things, and cause a lot of distress, she adds.
That’s what happened
to Lillo, who found herself “going deeper and deeper into depression until
suicidal thoughts appeared every winter.”
The “every winter”
part is key: If your depressive symptoms have appeared for at least two years
in a row, and haven’t materialized during other seasons, there’s a good chance
that SAD is the reason.
How to ease the pain
of dark days
If you think you
might have SAD, it’s critical that you discuss it with your doctor. He or she
may recommend therapy or antidepressants, in addition to some strategies you
can try at home:
Maximize your
daylight:
Rohan suggests starting with a morning walk. “It does two things,” she says.
“It gets the light that is available to your retina, which can help reset a
biological clock. And it gets you moving in terms of physical activity.”
Exercise can boost your mood and ease your mind, and some studies show it helps
relieve SAD, specifically.
Also, open your
shades, park yourself by windows, and head outdoors whenever possible, weather
permitting. And it can’t hurt to schedule a warm-climate vacation during the
winter months, suggests Ani Kalayjian, PhD, Adjunct Professor of Psychology at
Columbia University’s Teacher’s College and author of Forget Me Not: 7 Steps
for Healing Our Body, Mind, Spirit, and Mother Earth.
“Withdrawing
from routines sets you up for what I call going into hibernation mode, which
really breeds depression.”
Kelly
Rohan, PhD, Professor of Psychological Science and Director of Clinical
Training at University of Vermont
Avoid isolation: “Go meet up with
that group you belong to or go to the gym or go see that movie, see friends for
coffee,” says Rohan. “Withdrawing from those routines sets you up for what I
call going into hibernation mode, which really breeds depression.”
Ask about light
therapy:
Your doctor can prescribe this treatment, where you’ll spend time each morning
sitting near a special box that emits very bright light. This emulates the
effect of the sun, and has been shown to work for up to 70% of SAD patients.
However, not all insurance plans will cover the cost of the boxes.
Finally, once you’ve
been diagnosed with SAD, make sure you’re prepped for the future. This can
involve anticipating “down” times, planning activities ahead, and watching out
for worsening symptoms.
It may also mean
beginning treatments before symptoms kick in. Because ultimately, when
it comes to SAD, the best defense is a good offense.
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