Do you feel sad and experience behavior and mood changes during specific seasons each year? You could have seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is a common disorder that many people experience in the fall and winter months due to shorter daylight hours, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This condition is usually clinically referred to as winter-pattern SAD.
Other people experience SAD in the spring or summer months, referred to as summer-pattern SAD. Summer-pattern SAD is less common.
Causes
It is important to note that SAD occurs due to changes in the amount of daylight, not due to specific events and holidays on the calendar. If you are stressed about certain times of the year due to events, holidays and changes in the calendar, you may have the holiday blues.
In addition to changes in daylight hours, SAD could be caused by:
- Reduced amounts of serotonin, which is a chemical that regulates mood, in the brain
- Low amounts of vitamin D in the body
- Changes in the amount of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle, in the body
Risk Factors
Most people with SAD develop the disorder in their young adult years. Women are more likely to get SAD than men, but anyone can be affected by SAD.
SAD, particularly winter-pattern SAD, is most common for people living in the northern U.S. or northern regions of the world. This is because daylight hours are even shorter during the fall and winter months in these regions.
If you have the following disorders, you may be more likely to develop SAD:
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- Eating disorder
- Anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
Additionally, some people inherit SAD from family members. SAD may develop in people who have family members with mental illnesses like schizophrenia or depression.
Symptoms
Symptoms of SAD typically only last four to five months each year. Symptoms may include:
- Thinking about suicide or death
- Digestive issues
- Cramping
- Headaches
- Pain throughout the body
- Weight gain or loss
- Changes in appetite and sleep patterns
- Problems with making decisions, remembering things and concentrating on tasks
- Fatigue
- Lack of interest in activities or hobbies once enjoyed
- Feeling helpless, worthless, guilty, restless, frustrated, irritable, pessimistic or hopeless
- Feeling anxious, sad or emotionless the majority of the day most days for two weeks or more
Other symptoms people with winter-pattern SAD may experience include:
- Withdrawing from social activities
- Overeating
- Craving carbohydrates or sugar
- Sleeping too much
Other symptoms people with summer-pattern SAD may experience include:
- Acting aggressively or violently
- Decreased appetite
- Difficulty sleeping
In extreme cases, people who have SAD may attempt suicide due to their depression.
Diagnosis
If you have symptoms of SAD, it is important to talk to a health care provider or a mental health professional, such as a licensed therapist or social worker. The provider, therapist or social worker will have you complete a questionnaire to see if you meet the SAD diagnostic criteria.
You will meet the SAD diagnostic criteria if you:
- Have more persistent depression during a specific season when compared to depression experienced at other points of the year
- Have depression during the winter or summer months for two years or more in a row
- Are experiencing depression symptoms or symptoms of winter-pattern SAD or summer-pattern SAD
Treatment
The main treatment options for SAD include antidepressant medication and psychotherapy. People with winter-pattern SAD may also benefit from vitamin D supplements and light therapy. For any treatment, you should talk with your provider so you will know the guidelines and what may work best for you.
Light therapy exposes patients to a bright light to make up for the light they are missing out on in the fall and winter months. This therapy involves sitting in front of an extremely bright light box daily for 30-45 minutes, starting in the fall and going to the beginning of spring.
The light box filters out UV light that can damage the skin. However, people who are sensitive to sunlight or people who have eye conditions should consult their provider before starting light therapy.
If you experience any side effects from treatment, let your provider know. Also, if you start therapy and do not mesh well with your therapist, it is OK to switch therapists.
I May Have SAD. How Can I Get Help?
If you are struggling with symptoms of SAD or another mental health concern, know that it is always OK to seek help! Getting help can improve your quality of life.
If you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are in a crisis, dial 988, a free hotline. A trained, compassionate counselor will talk with you and provide resources.
UofL Health – Peace Hospital is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for no-charge level-of-care assessments. Peace Hospital accepts Medicaid, Medicare, most commercial insurance and self-pay. Financial assistance may be available.
For more information about Peace Hospital, call 502-451-3333.
