In this article, we will explore what Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is, some of the symptoms, causes and treatments.
If you think you or someone you know may have seasonal affective disorder, sometimes called winter depression, we encourage you to seek appropriate support. Without action, it can be a debilitating form of depression, and it is a serious issue.
Once again, due to stigma, people may be fearful of mentioning that their mental health is affected by the seasons changing, feeling that others would think it was just an excuse to be grumpy and miserable. There are lots of effective treatments to help with this condition, and the sooner that professional help is accessed, the better the difference to your life or the life of someone you might know who suffers from it.
SAD is a type of depression that occurs at certain times of the year. If you are diagnosed with SAD, you will experience depression because of certain types of weather, or during particular seasons. People often say they are affected by the weather, or when seasons change. They may notice their energy levels or mood is lowering or find their sleep patterns or appetite are different. However, if the way someone feels is affecting how they function on a daily basis, it may mean that they have depression, and if there is an annual pattern of occurrence, they could be diagnosed by their GP as having SAD.
The exact causes of SAD aren’t clear, but it is often linked to less exposure to sunlight in the shorter autumn and winter days. It is thought that the lack of sunlight at these times stops the hypothalamus (part of the brain) working properly which could affect:
- The production of serotonin – this hormone can affect sleep, appetite, and mood. So, less sunlight could bring lower serotonin levels, leading to feelings of depression.
- The production of melatonin – this hormone makes you feel sleepy. The body may produce this in higher levels in people with seasonal affective disorder.
- The body’s internal clock – sunlight is used by our bodies to time important processes, such as the time we wake in the morning. Lower levels of sunlight can disrupt this and lead to SAD symptoms.
Some people may be more susceptible to SAD due to their genes.
What are the symptoms for SAD?
Everyone is different. So, if, when, and how they may be affected can be different too. But some of the symptoms can include:
- Wanting to avoid people and not see people they normally enjoy spending time with.
- A drop in energy levels and difficulty motivating themselves to do things.
- Poor concentration.
- Being tearful, hopeless, sad, and low most of the time.
- Having problems with sleep – sleeping less or much more than normal, struggling to get up, fall asleep or stay asleep.
- Having thoughts about or feeling suicidal.
- Finding that your physical health is poor, with infections or colds.
- Other mental health problems they have may become worse whilst they are affected by SAD.
How can we treat SAD?
The first things you need to do if you think you or someone you know may have seasonal affective disorder is to see your/their GP. If you/they receive a diagnosis of SAD, you/they will then be offered a range of treatments including, talking therapies, light therapy, or medication.
Alongside treatment there are other actions we can take that may help such as:
- Keep a diary – This can help you notice patterns in your symptoms or triggers at certain times of the year or in certain weather. You may find things that make you feel better or worse and you can make changes to your lifestyle to help with this. This would also be helpful when you are talking to your GP so that you can give a clear picture of how you are affected.
- Talk to someone you trust – Explain how you are feeling, and if they don’t know very much about seasonal affective disorder, but want to help, ask them to read up about it so they can understand more. If you find it difficult to talk to those around you at times when you are feeling depressed, contact a helpline such as Samaritans.
- Learn how to relax – relaxation techniques can be extremely helpful if practised regularly. Find something that works for you. Mindfulness is also a great way to keep you focussed and in the moment when you feel stressed or anxious.
- Take care of your physical health – how you feel physically can have a real impact on your emotional health. Try to ensure that you eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly and do not use drugs or alcohol.
- Plan – if you know that there is a pattern in your symptoms, by planning ahead you can step up the things that you need for extra support ahead of this time. This may include increasing the time that you practice relaxation, re-arranging events or activities that you find stressful, or make a self-care box filled with things that help you cope at difficult times.
Please contact us to learn more about how to tackle Seasonal Affective Disorder with our one-to-one training sessions or employee webinars.