Do you get depressed when the seasons change? Sure, plenty of people get sad when the warmth of summer lets up and we move into the cooler fall and, eventually, colder winters.
But there’s a difference between “sad to see summer go” and “having trouble functioning during seasonal change.” If you’re going beyond sad and into depressed territory, you might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) otherwise known as seasonal depression.
How Common is Seasonal Depression? Who is at Risk?
The exact numbers surrounding SAD are tough to pin down, but the NIH estimates it could affect millions of Americans, often without them knowing [1]. The risks factors for SAD are a combination of your environment, mental health, & genetics.
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS FOR SAD
- Living further north, where there is less wintertime daylight
- Not getting enough sun
- Vitamin D deficiency
MENTAL HEALTH RISK FACTORS FOR SAD
- People with other mental health concerns such as depression, bipolar, anxiety, panic, ADHD, and eating disorders are more prone to developing SAD
GENETIC RISK FACTORS FOR SAD
- Women are more prone to SAD than men
- Like depression, SAD sometimes runs in families and you are more likely to develop it if a close relative suffers from a mental health disorder
What are the Symptoms of Seasonal Depression?
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is classified as a major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns. This means the symptoms are the same types of mood changes as depression. It’s important to note that winter SAD seems to be most common, but summer SAD is also possible. The symptoms can differ between the two.
WINTER SAD SYMPTOMS
Psychological
- Sadness/depression most of the day, almost every day
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
- General or specific anxiety
- Trouble concentrating, often from intruding negative thoughts
- Social withdrawal from activities you would normally enjoy (hobbies, events, etc.)
- Sleeping problems (usually oversleeping)
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Physical
- Feeling agitated or irritated
- Carbohydrate cravings and weight gain
- Limbs (arms and legs) that feel heavy
- Extreme fatigue and/or lack of energy
SUMMER SAD SYMPTOMS
Summer SAD sufferers (say that 5x fast) have many of the same symptoms as Winter SAD, but there are some that are more common. These are:
- General or specific anxiety
- Agitation
- Restlessness
- Decreased appetite & weight loss
- Outbursts of violent behavior
- Insomnia
What Causes Seasonal Depression?
Research is split on what ultimately causes SAD, with studies pointing to several possible root causes. The most promising candidates are serotonin, melatonin, vitamin D, and negative thinking.
SEROTONIN DEFICIENCY, MOOD CONTROLLER
Reduced serotonin activity in the brain is one possible cause of SAD, since this neurotransmitter helps regulate mood. Sunlight indirectly helps promotes healthy serotonin levels in the body, but in people with SAD the regulatory process doesn’t work as well. This gets worse in winter, when there’s less daylight.
MELATONIN ABUNDANCE, SLEEP REGULATOR
On the opposite side, studies also suggest that a culprit in SAD symptoms is an overproduction of melatonin. This hormone helps regulate the sleep cycle and you’ve probably seen melatonin supplements for sale to help promote healthy sleep. In people with SAD, there is too much melatonin being produced, which makes them sleepier for more of the day.
SEROTONIN DEFICIENCY + MELATONIN ABUNDANCE, C-C-C-COMBO!
There are studies that show a distinct overlap between both too little serotonin and too much melatonin. It seems likely that many suffering from SAD will have a combination of the two, since disruptions will have an unhealthy impact on your daily routine.
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY, MAKING A BAD THING WORSE
Vitamin D is one of the things researchers believe helps regulate serotonin levels. You get this from exposure to sunlight on your skin and from a health diet. When you aren’t eating/producing enough, serotonin levels drop.
NEGATIVE THOUGHTS & FEELINGS, THINKING YOUR WAY SAD
It’s difficult to know if negative thinking/feeling about seasonal changes is a cause or symptom of SAD, or possibly a little of both. If you’ve ever “spiraled” from bad thoughts to worse thoughts, you know what it’s like to compound feelings until they feel insurmountable. While causation may not be obvious, these bad thoughts & feelings provide a helpful target for treatment.
What are the Treatment Options for Seasonal Depression?
Depending on how severe your symptoms are, there are several treatment options for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Therapy is one of the most common options. This typically focuses on a treatment option called Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that has been developed specifically for Seasonal Affective Disorder, usually abbreviated CBT-SAD. The treatment can be individual or group-based, lasting about 6 weeks where clients learn to replace negative thoughts about the season with positive thoughts. Research shows that CBT-SAD is equally effective as light therapy but has longer lasting impact on mood.
Light therapy is an easy, at-home option that anyone can do with a small outlay of time (30-45 min per day), money ($30-100), and electricity. The method is simple: sit in front a 10,000 lux light box that mimics sunlight, minus the harmful bits, for 30-45 minutes each morning from Fall through Spring. That’s it! If you have anything that causes light sensitivity, this might not be a good option for you. Talk to your doctor about blasting yourself with super bright light every day.
Medications are an option, much like with other depressive disorders. Since serotonin seems to have a heavy influence on developing seasonal depression, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a common option. A non-SSRI option is bupropion, which is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI) and is commonly prescribed for depression in patients that can’t, or don’t want to, take SSRIs. Ask your doctor about the best options for your situation.
Vitamin D supplements are another easy, at-home treatment option that can take the form of a daily vitamin. Research is split on how helpful this can be, with some studies showing results similar to light therapy and others showing no significant improvements. The good news is, taking an average, store-bought vitamin D supplement probably won’t hurt if you take it according to the directions but, as always, talk to your doctor first!
Wrapping it Up
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) potentially impacts millions of Americans, many of whom go undiagnosed. More than just being sad or disappointed at the changing seasons, seasonal depression is a major disorder that adds the complication of seasonality. You can have seasonal depression in both the winter and the summer, with slight variations in symptoms. Research into the cause of SAD is ongoing, and there are several candidates such as serotonin deficiency and melatonin abundance. Treatment options can be as simple as sitting in front of a specialty light box in the morning, we’re taking a vitamin D supplement every day. For more severe cases, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or medications are available.
Don’t let the seasons control your happiness. Schedule an appointment with our highly trained therapists and beat the seasonal sadness!
References
[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder