How to deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder

During the winter months, there are fewer hours of daylight, the temperature drops, our time spent indoors increases and we generally become less active. Many people experience a change in mood and behavior due to these seasonal factors, such as a lack of energy, depressive feelings, anxiety and a decrease in concentration. Almost all human beings experience some sort of mood shift in the winter, but how can you tell the difference between the winter blues and seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

Those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder have a major depressive episode for a period of at least two weeks in the winter, along with four or more of the following symptoms: Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping), a difficulty concentrating, strong feelings of guilt and/or worthlessness, frequent thoughts of death (including suicidal ideation), feelings of fatigue, a lack of energy, a loss of weight or excessive weight gain, and feelings of being slowed down or feelings of extreme agitation.

“If the individual meets the basic criteria for a major depressive disorder, then the next step is to establish that their depressive episodes have a seasonal pattern,” says McWelling Todman who teaches psychology at The New School for Social Research and at Eugene Lang.

Although the winter blues is not a clinical term, most people use it to describe the general lowering in mood during wintertime. This can be a result of “the restrictions in physical activity that can occur in temperate climates due to weather events, shortened periods of daylight, and longer periods of time spent indoors,” says Todman. “These blues states are common and do not require clinical intervention.”

According the DSM 5 (the official Diagnostic Manual for Psychiatric Disorders), a period of two years is required to identify a pattern in seasonal mood changes for a person to be diagnosed with SAD. While most people who have SAD tend to notice a depressive onset in the fall or winter seasons, some individuals are prone to summer depressive episodes. Cases of summer episodes are often triggered by the increase of heat and humidity, and the lack of structured activities during the summer months when the school recess begins.

“Although I don’t have SAD, I know people who do,” Lang sophomore Lucca Galloway says. “I experience a change in mood during the winter because the days are colder and darker, and I am more stressed because of finals. But the difference between this and the kind of stress I see people with SAD having is quite different. My stress is manageable, while they seem to be in a more severe state.”

During any given year, 7 percent of the population suffers from a major type of depression, with most cases occurring between the ages of 18 and 30. Of this 7 percent, 15 percent of cases are SAD.

“Women tend to be at greater risk for seasonal patterns than males, as are individuals who live in higher latitudes (e.g., Scandinavia) and individuals who are younger,” Todman says.

College students fall into a particularly susceptible age bracket for developing SAD, and need to be aware of the possible academic outcomes. Like most mental health disorders or disabilities, SAD affects the ability to perform well in school.

“Major depression of any kind can adversely affect academic performance,” Todman says. “A depressed mood saps motivation, slows cognitive processing, impairs the ability to concentrate and affects memory.”

Treatments for SAD include light therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication. The New School offers health and counseling services to students and referrals for the assessment and treatment of all depressive disorders, including those with seasonal patterns. Students who are enrolled in a student health insurance plan, can have access to 12 free counseling sessions each year. The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends participating in outdoor activities, especially in the early hours of the day, and socializing with others, among other tips for those who want to stay happy and healthy throughout the winter.