How to Beat the Winter Blues
Hi readers!
My name is Georgia, and I am currently in my last semester as an undergraduate at McGill University in Montreal. With snowstorms and cold weather sweeping across the U.S., many people are feeling the weight of COVID-related lockdowns even more now. Although we are no strangers to snow here in Montreal, these winter months never get easier to handle. Most people are familiar with the “winter blues”, but did you know there is actually a diagnosable disorder related to those months?
Georgia Campbell
Marketing Intern at Maryland Counseling Associates
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often referred to as Seasonal Depression, is a type of depression tied to the changing seasons. Evident from its acronym, SAD is characterized by a pervasive feeling of depression and loss of energy. Its symptom profile is similar to that of Major Depressive Disorder including loss of interest in regular activities, problems with sleep, fluctuations in appetite/weight, and feelings of hopelessness. What distinguishes SAD from other depressive disorders is that the symptoms most commonly start in late fall/early winter and end in the spring. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about 5% of adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with SAD and, like major depression, it is more common among women.
Seasonal depression becomes more prevalent the further you are from the equator. This is due to the fewer hours of sunlight those countries receive in the winter months. Unsurprisingly, sunlight has been implicated in most research on SAD. Sunlight affects the production and release of various hormones and neurotransmitters in our body that regulate mood and our “internal clock”. In people with SAD, that internal clock is disproportionately affected by the lack of sunlight in winter. As a result, they may feel a sense of constant drowsiness and other mood disruptions that contribute to a state of depression. Additionally, some people already diagnosed with clinical depression or bipolar disorder find that their symptoms are exacerbated during the winter months due to those mechanisms at play in SAD.
Jargon and neuroscience aside, SAD is more than just the “winter blues”. Severe seasonal depression is debilitating and requires treatment. If that sad feeling is persistent every year and is interfering with daily life, I encourage you to reach out for help. I have a feeling we may see an increase in the prevalence of SAD looking back on this winter as a result of the isolation and indoor confinement caused by the pandemic. Like all other psychological disorders, there is evidence that SAD occurs on a continuum even if you do not meet official criteria for the disorder. If you often feel down during winter months you are not alone! Going outside early in the morning to make the most of winter sunlight may greatly improve your mood. In fact, light therapy is a common therapeutic approach for seasonal depression.
Seasonal changes impact many aspects of our lives and can affect everyone differently – even those of us who love the snow! The one constant is that you are not alone in however you may feel and there are always options. 4
