The end of the year tends to be stressful for most of us, with the self-reflection that the end of yet another year brings adding to just about everything we have going on in our lives. There’s the shopping for the impending holidays, meeting problematic relatives, not having anyone you want to meet instead, the financial stresses of providing for everything you do, and so on – the demands on your mental energy can quite literally be endless. The shorter days and the decreasing daylight time may add to the weight on your mind as well – it’s thought that these contribute to a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). A type of depression, SAD occurs only during certain seasons of the year for most people, most often during the autumn and winter seasons. The timing is commonly attributed to the change in the time daylight lasts, which is thought to trigger a chemical change in the brain, leading to symptoms of depression. In most cases, the condition is treated through light therapy and/or a prescription for antidepressants.
Unfortunately, women are disproportionately affected by seasonal affective disorder, and anyone who has reason to believe that they are suffering from depression (of any kind) should try to seek the help of a healthcare professional as soon as possible. Depression is a mental condition that is different from negative emotions such as sadness or regret. It’s a mood disorder that manifests itself by spilling over to other, essential areas of an individual’s life and health such as their appetite, their sleep, how they handle situations, and the like. If you or a loved one is suffering from depression, it is also important to remember that it is a treatable condition and that it is not a sign of personal weakness. Depression cannot also be willed away by the person suffering from it.
Seasonal affective disorder specifically is a condition that manifests itself during adulthood, with the risk increasing the older you get. It is actually quite rare for seasonal affective disorder to affect anyone under the age of 20. In addition to changing seasons, SAD is also linked to melatonin, which is a hormone related to sleep. Melatonin is produced naturally within the body when it is dark – which means that the shorter the days are, the more melatonin is produced. Depending on the season, SAD is also categorised into two sub-types. Fall-onset or ‘winter depression’ occurs between late fall and the early winter months, easing off during the summer months. Spring-onset SAD or ‘summer depression’ as can be deduced therefore occurs between late spring and early summer and is much less common.
SAD manifests itself in a variety of symptoms such as increased drowsiness, loss of interest/pleasure in activities usually found to be enjoyable, social withdrawal, increased sensitivity to rejection in particular, irritability, anxiety, misplaced feelings of guilt, hopelessness, decreased sex drive, clarity of thought, weight gain, and physical problems such as headaches. It can be differentiated from depression in general by the fact that the symptoms recur in relation to seasonal changes. It is important however to not self-diagnose or anyone else for that matter, as SAD symptoms overlap with symptoms of many other diseases, both mental and physical – only a professional healthcare provider can make this call. Your physician will also conduct a careful mental health exam and refer to your previous medical history before making the call for you.
Professional treatment for SAD varies depending on individual contexts, although there are some treatments that pop up frequently. Unsurprisingly – or perhaps quite surprisingly, increased exposure to sunlight is chief among them. Spending more time outside, or near a window or some other source of natural light can help alleviate SAD symptoms. If sunlight is not accessible, as is often the case if it’s actually winter, light therapy is used, which is essentially replacing sunlight with a special light for a set time of the day regularly. A professional might also attempt psychotherapy, to help you address any distorted views you might hold in relation to yourself or your environment. Antidepressants may also be used to correct the chemical imbalances that lead to seasonal affective disorder.
While it’s always more important to seek the advice of a professional for diagnosis and treatment, there are also things you can incorporate into your lifestyle to prevent or alleviate symptoms before they start presenting themselves this winter. One such change, although not an easy one especially in the winter, is starting your day earlier in the winter so that you make full use of all the sunny hours available. Gloomy mornings can be supplemented by the use of a ‘light box’ which is generally commercially available. They aren’t exactly a substitute for the sun – a dangerous thing to replicate inside a living room – a sunny day generates 50,000 lux of light, while a light box can only generate 5,000 – 6,000 lux for sessions of about 30 minutes. However, these light boxes are about 100 times brighter than usual indoor lighting. However, even this should only be done under medical advisement, and after properly vetting product standards, as not all light boxes are created equal. Only a few are FDA-approved. Two important things to remember – light boxes are not for gazing into, and should be used according to a schedule. Using it in the afternoon for example will only confuse your body’s internal clock
Keeping up with your fitness routines/regimes during winter will also help your body be healthier and happier during the winter months. Going for a walk or jog during the sunny time of the day would also basically kill two birds with one stone. A regularly recurring routine will also help you combat the feelings of hopelessness and failure that are pulling you down. Staying away from alcohol when you know it’s that time of the year can also be helpful – alcohol is a depressant and will only exacerbate your symptoms. On the same theme, it’s also helpful to eat healthier during the season you are affected by symptoms, especially foods related to good ‘brain health’, such as nutrient-rich fruits, leafy greens, beans, and fish. Keeping up with social connections might take up more of your energy, especially if symptoms start to present themselves, however, it is important to try to maintain them as much as possible. Self-isolating will also exacerbate the negative emotions and thoughts running their tracks around your mind.
Perhaps most importantly, you need to be compassionate of yourself if you are affected by seasonal depression. Blaming yourself for being affected by seasonal changes is an easy trap to fall into, and yet does no one any good. Talking to a therapist or at least a loved one will help you realign these thoughts – it is not unfathomable to have your mental health affected by the seasons. There are after all many, many fauna and flora whose entire lifecycles are determined by the season – just think about salmon.
(Theruni Liyanage)