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Seasonal Affective Disorder: It's Just SAD. Story by Sunshine Sheltray Squirrels scurry around, scavenging nuts, building their bodies up for the long winter. Their bodies fatten in order to sustain throughout the winter, when the days are shorter and the nights longer. Did you ever stop to think that what happens to the animals during winter could also happen to you? Although the animals are not depressed, they do push their bodies to adjust physically to the change in temperature and sunlight during the same months that people with seasonal depression are afflicted. Seasonal depression is a type of depression prevalent during the winter months between September and April. “It’s
cyclical with the seasons and people tend to feel depressed with a loss
of light this time of year”
This happens because people crave the touch of the sun more during these months and have very few hours in the day to obtain it. Of all the individuals diagnosed with seasonal depression, 60 to 90 percent are women “It’s cyclical with the seasons and people tend to feel depressed with a loss of light this time of year,” said Carol Shuttleworth, senior counselor and psychologist at the Student Health Center at Plattsburgh State. The farther north you go away from the equator, Shuttleworth said, the more daylight hours you lose. Seasonal depression is also known as seasonal affective disorder. The shorter days of winter and a lack of light seem to be causes of seasonal depression. “I call it the hibernation syndrome,” Shuttleworth said, “because it causes people to develop hibernation-like symptoms.” Hibernation-like symptoms are similar to the way animals get ready for the winter season. “I
call it the hibernation syndrome because it causes people to develop hibernation-like
symptoms”
Possible signs of seasonal depression, Shuttleworth said, are an increase in eating and sleeping. People who exhibit signs of seasonal depression find it hard to get out of bed; they feel apathetic and want to physically do less during these months. At this time people have cravings for complex carbohydrates, such as pasta and bread, which results in weight gain. Some emotional and mental signs of seasonal depression are moodiness and irritability, a loss of interest in sex, and difficulty concentrating. "One of the main symptoms is just wanting to sleep longer," said Laurie Tenian, an associate of Dr. Richard Smith at Mind Tuning. An increased desire for sleep and carbohydrates usually tells a psychologist that the patient may have seasonal depression. Health professionals usually ask about medical history before diagnosing for different types of depression. At times they will also order blood tests to check for hypothyroidism, which causes lowered activity in thyroid gland. Questions regarding changes in sleep patters, social activity, mood, weight, appetite, and energy levels are also asked: Do you have difficulty waking up in the morning? Do you sleep more than you used to or sleep too much? Have you gained weight? These are key questions that tell the psychologist whether or not the person has seasonal depression or another form of depression. The main treatment for seasonal depression is light therapy. There are two types of light therapy that are commonly used: bright light treatment and dawn simulation.
Bright light treatment is where a person sits in front of a box with fluorescent light bulbs turned on inside it. Some lights that shouldn't be used include heat lamps, tanning lamps, and ultraviolet lights. Light boxes can be used during a person's normal day-to-day routine—it can be set on a chair or on the desk and used when you’re reading, eating, or doing work. Dawn stimulation is slightly different and some people find it to be more convenient than the light box, since it is administered while sleeping. A light with a low intensity bulb is set on a timer to turn on near dawn and gradually get brighter. It can take from in between a few days and a few weeks
before a person begins to respond to light therapy. The light box seems
to be more effective under testing. Seasonal depression is more common among younger people, usually in their twenties. For these individuals, it is important to realize that treatments are available. Many psychologists have light boxes for the treatment; the Student Health Center even has one. If you're concerned that you or someone you know might be suffering from seasonal depression, consult a mental health professional as soon as possible. After all, just because the squirrels have to suffer every winter doesn't mean you have to as well. Does someone you know suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder? |
CounselingNet
and Adirondack Behavioral HealthCare LLC Lake Placid and Tupper Lake (518)523-9222 Behavioral
Health Behavioral
Health Services North Mind Tuning For more
information on Seasonal Affective Disorder visit: Visit Counselingnet.com for free counseling, advice and information on various problems in your life, from personal and family related to ADD and ADHD. |
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