Less light can make for darkening moods
Does mood seem to mirror the seasons – growing darker as the winter days get shorter and lifting as the brighter days of summer approach? It could have a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about four to five months, per year, in late fall, to early spring. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about five percent of adults in the United States, experience SAD.
People may start to feel “down” as the days get shorter this time of year. This is “winter-pattern SAD” and can make a body feel tired, crave carbohydrates, gain weight, avoid things they normally enjoy, or withdraw socially during the fall and winter months.
Anyone can be affected by SAD, but according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), those who are the most at risk, are women, people living in the north, people living with other mental health disorders and those with a family history of depression. In most cases, SAD begins in young adulthood.
If a patient is diagnosed with SAD, a variety of recommendations may be made, depending on severity. A wellbalanced lifestyle and getting outside for regular walks when the weather is mild, can help combat the symptoms of SAD.
Light therapy (utilizing a light box or dawn-stimulating lamp), talk therapy, vitamin D and in some cases, medications, such as antidepressants, may be used alone or in combination. Talk to a healthcare provider about which treatment is right for individual needs.
Because the timing of the onset of winter-pattern SAD is so predictable, people with a history of SAD might benefit from starting the treatments mentioned above, before the fall, to help prevent or reduce the depression. Therefore, people with SAD should discuss with their healthcare providers if they want to initiate treatment early, to prevent depressive episodes.
If someone has noticed significant changes in mood or behavior whenever the seasons change, talk to a provider.
