Skip to Main Content

Himmelfarb Headlines: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Himmelfarb Headlines Banner

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Decorative Image for Seasonal Affective Disorder article

After a busy semester of fall classes, winter is finally here. While there is plenty to enjoy about winter - the holidays, freshly fallen snow, warm beverages - winter also brings with it shorter days, the sun setting before 5PM most days. It’s no surprise that this change can bring on some negative mood shifts, but in some people, this shift is so pronounced that it becomes clinical. 

Seasonal affective disorder more commonly known as SAD is a type of depression that occurs when the seasons change. While there is a type of SAD for the summer months, SAD that occurs in winter is far more common and tends to be what people think of when they hear the term. While feeling a little down is normal, people who have SAD can suffer from a myriad of symptoms such as loss of appetite, sleeping too much, fatigue, social withdrawal, anxiety, sadness, and other symptoms that are consistent with depression (1).

We don’t know what exactly causes SAD (theories range from lack of vitamin, melatonin overproduction, or serotonin underproduction), but we do know that some groups are at higher risk of the disorder than others (2). People who live in more northern climates tend to be at a higher risk, as do people whose schedules limit their exposure to sunlight. People who have another psychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder or anxiety have a comorbidity with SAD (3).

Thankfully, SAD is treatable. There are multiple ways to treat SAD but one of the most common is light therapy (4). Light therapy involves sitting in front of a type of lightbox each morning for a period of time. These lightboxes are available commercially, though make sure they give off the recommended amount of light. Therapy, counseling, and medication can also be used.

This winter, make sure to take care of your body AND your mind. If any of the symptoms above seem familiar, don’t be afraid to reach out to your doctor.

Sources:

  1. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services and Administration. February 8, 2023. Accessed December 3, 2024. https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/seasonal-affective-disorder
  1. Sanassi LA. Seasonal affective disorder: is there light at the end of the tunnel? JAAPA. 2014;27(2):18-23. doi:10.1097/01.JAA.0000442698.03223.f3
  1. Melrose S. Seasonal Affective Disorder: An Overview of Assessment and Treatment Approaches. Depress Res Treat. 2015;2015:178564. doi:10.1155/2015/178564
  2. Ravindran AV, Balneaves LG, Faulkner G, et al. Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Section 5. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments. Can J Psychiatry. 2016;61(9):576-587. doi:10.1177/0706743716660290