Don't Be SAD: Identifying and Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder

Winter can cause even the most buoyant spirits to sink. It's cold outside, the sun disappears earlier and many people find themselves staring at the same four walls day in and day out. It's a dreary situation indeed – but for many people, perhaps including your residents, it's far more serious than a case of the winter blues. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, occurs repeatedly at the same time of year, typically beginning in the fall and ending in spring. Although rare, some people experience the opposite – they become depressed when spring or summer roll around.

Causes

Despite extensive research, the exact causes of SAD are unknown. According to the Mayo Clinic, it's likely that, as with many other mental health conditions, genetics, age and a person's natural chemical makeup play a role in developing the disorder. Being female, living far from the equator and having a family history of SAD are also risk factors for developing the condition.¹

Other causes are thought to include¹:

• Melatonin levels. Melatonin, a natural hormone, plays a role in sleep patterns and moods. When the seasons change, the melatonin balance can be disrupted.
• Circadian rhythm. Fall and winter bring with them a reduced amount of sunlight. This can upset the body's circadian rhythm, or internal clock, which tells a person when they should be awake or sleeping. This disruption can lead to depression.
• Serotonin levels. Serotonin is a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood. Reduced sunlight can cause serotonin levels to drop, leading to depression.

Symptoms

SAD is a cyclic condition, which means that symptoms come back and go away at the same time every year. Symptoms include¹:

• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of energy
• Social withdrawal
• Oversleeping
• Loss of interest in activities
• Changes in appetite (especially a craving for high-carbohydrate foods)

Symptoms might start out mild and grow worse as the season progresses. If left untreated, SAD can lead to suicidal thoughts or behavior, social withdrawal and substance abuse.¹

Diagnosis

In order to receive a diagnosis of SAD, individuals need to have experienced depression and other symptoms for at least two consecutive years, and during the same season each year. Those periods of depression also need to have been followed stretches of time without depression. Finally, there must be no other explanations for the change in mood or behavior.¹

Note: This is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared in Volume 2, Issue 1 of Embrace magazine. To continue reading the article, click here.