Cold weather blues
It’s getting colder and cloudier outside and for some people, it’s getting a little more blue.
During a season when most people put focus on being happy, spreading cheer and spending time with friends and family, there are some that just hope for winter to end, for the holidays to be over and for life to go back to what they consider normal.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a serious depression that begins in the fall or winter and ends in the spring, may affect about half a million people in the United States, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Web site. This winter depression was recognized several decades ago, but was named in the 1980s by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health.
“In the media, we hear of two main reasons why people get Seasonal Affective Disorder,” said Tom Berry, a counselor at Utah State University. “Researchers have found that it’s closely related to the amount of light people get. The other pattern we see is that people get depressed about the season and the meaning it has to them.”
Berry said people often get depression at Christmas time and the new year, especially if they don’t feel connected to friends or family. If a person has SAD, he won’t be depressed the rest of the year and the symptoms will be about the same each winter when there are shorter days and less light.
People diagnosed with depression can also have SAD and they will feel a lot worse when days start to shorten, Berry said.
SAD is more common in women than in men, as depression in general is more commonly diagnosed in women. It is also more common in younger generations, but the academy states that SAD is usually not detected in people younger than 20 years old. Berry said some students come to the Counseling Center thinking they have SAD, but he figures most of them just get stressed due to the academic calendar rather than the seasonal calendar.
“When people come in September and say they think they have seasonal affective disorder, it’s pretty unlikely,” Berry said. “The light hasn’t changed very much by September. It’s most likely because they are worried about school, moving or new roommates.”
Change can affect a person’s mood for a time, but light is the key factor with seasonal depression. The American Academy of Family Physicians says on their Web site that symptoms of SAD include a change in appetite, weight gain, oversleeping and having less energy.
A person may also avoid social situations, be irritable, have a difficult time concentrating and be more sensitive to social rejection. Symptoms will come every year at the same time and will leave at the same time as well, according to the academy.
Berry said it’s often harder to detect symptoms in men because rather than seeming depressed, they may act angry. He said people with psychological symptoms may feel overwhelming amounts of guilt and think about suicide.
Counseling and medication may be necessary for some and Berry said that some people try light therapy with light boxes. For people who feel they are experiencing SAD, Berry suggests trying to stay healthy.
“Eat right and exercise. Do everything your mom would tell you,” he said. “Don’t be freaked out if it feels uncontrollable. It can be scary if you’re suddenly getting a lot more depressed.”
When a person is aware they have SAD, they can do more proactive things, Berry said, and it will help with their fears. He recommends that students take care of their bodies even when they are pushing themselves and living with high demands of stress.
“Practice deep breathing, pacing or taking breaks. Do things to make yourself happy,” Berry said. “Spend a few extra minutes in the shower and try to gain a sense of balance. Be ambitious, but work smart and keep accomplishing the things you want to.”
If students are concerned that they have SAD, they can visit the Counseling Center, Berry said. They can explain how they are feeling and form plans on how to deal with the depression and it’s better to find out earlier if they have SAD than later, Berry added.
-mnewbold@cc.usu.edu