Seasonal affective disorder also called – SEASONAL DEPRESSION is related to change in the season. Its symptoms appear during early winter season becomes more severe as temperature lowers and resolves by itself as summer season starts. It is normal to feel a bit low during winter, we call it WINTER BLUES . But it may go beyond this and may affect our daily life as S A D. Which is a form of depression .Person may get better in spring so people take SAD as WINTER BLUES and donot take it as a serious problem.
Let’s understand difference between SAD and WINTER BLUES
Winter blues happen every now and then in winter season. The person loses its interest in social activities but still he likes daily routine activities at home,as watching TV shows and performing daily routine works etc.
But seasonal affective disorder is more prevalent, when a person loses interest in various fields of life,avoids daily routine jobs, even his favorite food and becomes sad and lethargic. He withdraws from life.
WHAT CAUSES SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)
Our biological clock is regulated by intensity of Sunlight. Change in season shifts our biological clock that disturbs our hormones, which affects our mood. Reduced sunlight drops SEROTONIN level, which affects our mood and triggers sadness.
Change in season may also cause imbalance in MELATONIN level in body, which disturbs our sleep pattern.
Deficiency of vitamin D, due to low intensity of light causes depression.
FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)
- Persons may have more chances to have S A D
- Who have blood relatives with depression
- Who live far from equator or near poles
- Who have low level of vitamin D
- Having depression or bipolar disorder
SYMPTOMS OF SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)
It may be diagnosed easily when someone has persistent feeling of sadness, fatigue, irritability and social withdrawal for more than two weeks. Symptoms may include-feeling low and loss of pleasure in day-to-day activities.
- Persistent sadness and mood swings.
- Excess sleep or insomnia-disturbance in sleep pattern.
- Lack of energy and fatigue.
- Limbs feel heavy. Change in appetite.
S A D may improve with proper treatment-It includes medication along with Light therapy and Psychotherapy.
Some easy steps may-be-taken to get ahead of its Symptoms.
- Daily walk and exposure to sunlight helps a lot to improve mood.
- Proper diet with increase intake of vitamin D
- Light physical exercise.
- Meeting friends and social gathering may elevate your mood.
Treat S A D at the earliest to keep your mood up throughout the year. Never brush off this problem as a seasonal funk.
