Have you ever felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness as the seasons changed? All your energy has been drained and your motivation whisked away? You may have a common mood disorder known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or seasonal depression.
Most people affected by seasonal depression experience immense amounts of sadness during the winter and fall months, but get rejuvenated by the warm weather of the spring and summer. Others feel the opposite (sad in the summer and happy in the winter). Seasonal depression is not something to take lightly as symptoms can become increasingly more severe as the days pass. Understanding and learning how to manage SAD can help stop the development of more severe cases in the future and save you from more serious disorders.
While the symptoms of seasonal depression vary from person to person, there are a lot of familiar symptoms found among different patients. People suffering from SAD will often struggle with their sleep schedules (or lack thereof). Both of these can lead to those people feeling particularly sluggish and slow throughout the day. Lack of sleep will also usually cause the individual to lose focus and concentration at work or at school. This may make someone suffering from SAD feel worthless, hopeless, and even suicidal. Individuals that suffer from SAD during the summer/spring seasons may experience different symptoms than those in the colder months. Winter depression often deals with more tiredness/low energy issues. It also may result in oversleeping (ex: naps) and weight gain. On the other hand, summer depression can deal with symptoms such as anxiety/irritability or weight loss.
The exact cause is unknown, but there are many potential factors that contribute to a case of seasonal affective disorder. The decrease of sunlight in the winter and fall months can disrupt your circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that transpire in a 24-hour cycle and the change in sunlight often interferes with your body’s external clock. Another issue could be a decline in serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical message in the body that helps to regulate attention, mood, and behavior. A decreased level of serotonin could be caused by reduced sunlight and can lead to depression. A change in season can also impact the body’s level of melatonin. This can affect sleep patterns and moods.
If you feel as though you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder, you’re not alone! SAD affects about 10 million Americans. If you feel that your mental health is being affected by SAD, there are countless resources that can help. Friends, family, teachers, and trusted adults are all great people to talk to. Even if you feel as though there is no one in your life to turn to, there are many support groups all over the world that were created to comfort and benefit those with seasonal depression. There’s a lot of stigma around mental health when there shouldn’t be. Having syndromes like SAD is okay, and should not make anyone feel isolated for having it.
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