What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as Depression with Seasonal Pattern, can appear in the fall and usually subsides in the spring. Many have referred to SAD as the winter blues. SAD can have many of the symptoms of depression, along with irritability, and lower energy levels. These symptoms may impact your personal relationships, influence your appetite and what foods you may crave, as well as losing interest in things you typically enjoy.
Although winter may be a time we engage in different activities, usually indoors, the symptoms of SAD seem to be seasonal.
Who is Affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
It has been estimated that 15% of Canadians will experience a mild case of SAD at some point, while 2 to 3% will report a serious case of SAD. Adults have been shown to be at higher risk of SAD than children and teenagers. After the age of 50 the risk of SAD begins to decline. Women may be more likely to experience SAD compared to men. People in more northern countries are more likely to experience SAD than populations closer to the equator.
Help for Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Treatment can include a number of things to help alleviate the symptoms of SAD:
Reach out to your doctor: To rule out thyroid, hormonal and physical health imbalances, discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Certain anti-depressants can be helpful with treating SAD symptoms.
Reach out to a mental health professional: To rule out depression or other underlying mental health concerns, contact a mental health professional in your local area. Mental health professionals can help navigate the cycles of depression, negative thinking patterns and behaviours. These professionals can help work through the symptoms of SAD by providing a variety of tools to cope more effectively.
Light Therapy: Increasing your exposure to sunlight can help alleviate symptoms of SAD. Alternatively, there are light therapies that include a special light box, with a LUX rating for measuring the amount of light given. Not all SAD light boxes are equal. Light therapy may not be suitable for everyone, and may have negative side-effects including eye strain, agitation, headaches, and nausea. Do your research here.
Help Yourself: Prioritize yourself with regular exercise, a healthy diet, good sleeping habits, staying connected to others, healthy thinking, and managing your stress levels. These priorities can all help reduce the symptoms of depression associated with SAD.
Soak Up The Sunlight
Even though we experience cold snaps, have you found yourself feeling grateful that at least the sun is shining? Alberta boasts the highest amount of sunshine hours compared to anywhere else in Canada.
Sunlight has been shown to greatly improve symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Sunlight in general impacts our mental health by increasing production of serotonin, the mood booster hormone, and melatonin, the circadian rhythm hormone. Every single organism is impacted by the sunlight hours, we are no different.
So go soak up that sun as best you can!!
Related Posts
If you enjoyed this blog post, considering checking out these other posts on our blog!
Window Of Tolerance: The Fight, Flight, Freeze And Shutdown Of It All:
Duck on the Water: Burnout and the Importance of Self-Care: https://www.balancepsychservices.ca/post/burnout-and-the-importance-of-self-care
References
Amirault, S. (2018, July). “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Seasonal Affective Disorder (Depression with Seasonal Pattern). Canadian Psychological Association. https://cpa.ca/psychology-works-fact-sheet-seasonal-affective-disorder-depression-with-seasonal-pattern/
CMHA BC Division. (2013). Seasonal Affective Disorder. Canadian Mental Health Association. https://bc.cmha.ca/documents/seasonal-affective-disorder-2/
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Disclaimer
Information provided through Balance Psychological Services' blog posts is meant for educational purposes only. This is NOT medical or mental health advice. If you are seeking mental health advice, please contact us directly at (587) 985-3132.