Photo by Made Underground
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as S.A.D, affects an estimated 6 out of 10 people. It is basically a mental disorder brought on by cold and lack of sunlight. It is seen most frequently in younger people however older people get it as well. I find it interesting to note that during the holidays, many people are suffering through this. It is thought to have been caused by a lack of sunlight. People susceptible to the disorder are encouraged to spend time in light therapy and outdoors.
One example I know of is that of a young woman in her early twenties who went away to college and suddenlt became depressed. She was born and raised in sunny Southern California and went to school in snowy Nebraska. Her symptoms included: catatonia, uncontrollable crying, anger outbursts, and severe moods. These things were most notable because she was never like that before her college experience. SSRI’s and moving back to California cured her symptoms rapidly. She is one of the lucky ones. S.A.D. has been suspected cause of suicide in a growing number of cases.
S.A.D. may be sad, but it is no joke. If you feel you might be getting depressed due to a lack of sunlight, try and get out more and pay attention to its affect on your psychology. “‘Tis the season to be jolly” may not be true for everyone. I should also add that, even apart from S.A.D. diagnoses, the holiday months have the highest number of suicides than any other time throughout the year. If you are just plain feeling sad during the holidays, make sure you talk to someone, a friend perhaps, at the very least.
Read the link below to learn more about S.A.D., get out in the sun as much as makes sense for your day, and most importantly: if your symptoms persist, see a psychiatrist. When you’re doing all that to keep yourself out of the funny farm, you can deck the halls with no worries.
Do you know an example of S.A.D. or other winter depression?
Further reading on Seasonal Affective Disorder
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6 Comments
This is why I live in Arizona, almost never without sunlight. Though it rained for the first time in like 80 days yesterday.
Blues are common, I can feel them when storms set in and I haven’t seen sunlight for days. I used to get mood blues while living in New York from the weather when it was cold and miserable.
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@Dragon Blogger: Arizona is a great visual of sunlight, esp. in Phoenix where it can get up to 120.
Even though I’ve never left Chicago, I know I am somewhat sensitive to the seasons changing. In the winter months, I am always sleepy and much less creative and motivated than I am during the summer. I know some people really enjoy winter, but I just think it’s gloomy.
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While I’ve never actually been “tested” or diagnosed, I often think that I might have a mild case of S.A.D. or perhaps it’s just a natural thing, but I do feel less motivated, creative, and such as well as more irritable and “depressed” in the wintertime…
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@Nick: Mental illness might be seen as an exaggerated form of normal reaction. The hard part is deciding whether one has a mental illness or if one just has normal reactions. The time to go in is when you can’t function. The girl I knew was like that. Thanks for sharing that, I think a lot of people are affected by the winter months.
SAD is totally real. Winter has always been tough for me to deal with. Growing up, Mom just called it cabin fever and said it would pass.
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S.A.D. Time of the Year?
S.A.D. Time of the Year?
S.A.D. Time of the Year?
[...] sunlight we receive, seasonal affective disorder afflicts many of us around this time of year. Damien Riley takes a moment to discuss this S.A.D. time of the year, reminding us that seasonal affective [...]