With the clocks turned back, and the cooler weather approaching, an ominous feeling may start to set in. Beyond the impending stress of the upcoming holidays, paired with the dwindling presence of sunlight throughout the day, many individuals may experience feeling more down, or even depressed.
For most, these emotions are mild, fleeting, and do not significantly impact one’s quality of life or ability to function in any meaningful way. For others, however, these feelings of sadness can become very overwhelming and deleteriously impactful, affecting sleep, appetite, motivation, energy levels, and even causing problems at work, home, or school. The former is often referred to as the “holiday blues,” while the latter is diagnosed as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – also known as “winter depression.” To complicate things even more, there’s also the “winter blues,” which is more specific to the particular season than an actual holiday or event.
Diving Into The Differences
It’s important to note, there are significant differences between the three. Holiday blues is a common experience in which individuals may feel down or sad during times of specific events or holidays. While often thought of as being synonymous with the holiday season at the end of the year, holiday blues can occur at any holiday or anniversary, regardless of when. Holiday blues do not last long, do not require any psychiatric treatment, and improve as the holiday passes. Those with a prior mental health condition are, however, particularly prone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 64 percent of people with an existing mental illness report that the holidays make their condition worse.
Winter blues is similar to holiday blues in how people are affected, but is more correlated with the time of year, rather than a specific holiday event. Winter blues are also self-limiting, minimally impactful on daily activity, and do not require any psychiatric treatment. Fortunately, both can often improve with:
- Eating healthy
- Exercise
- Getting light exposure, preferably outside if possible
- Keeping mentally and physically active
- Limiting computer time, news, and social media exposure
- Nurturing the soul to find meaning and purpose
- Surrounding yourself with friends, family, and others with a supportive and positive attitude
Winter depression, or SAD, is a much more serious condition. SAD is medically-recognized and listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the official diagnostic manual of mental health disorders. SAD can significantly impact one’s ability to function and may require more intervention than just a lifestyle change.
Specifics Of SAD
SAD was first identified in 1984 and differs from major depressive disorder (MDD) in that the episodes occur during a specific season. Meanwhile, non-seasonal major depression can occur any time of the year. While more common in the winter months, seasonal depressive episodes can also come on during spring and summer months. Regardless of what time of year they occur, symptoms typically resolve as the season changes. In the United States, roughly five percent of adults experience SAD. Demographics and location definitely impact those statistics, with individuals living farther away from the equator (i.e., less daylight hours), women, and younger people being the most susceptible.
Symptoms of SAD can present just like non-seasonal major depression with people experiencing sad moods, poor sleep, loss of appetite, low interest, anxiety, restlessness, and trouble functioning. More often, though, those suffering with seasonal depression will experience additional issues such as oversleeping, carbohydrate-craving, and extreme fatigue.
Solutions For The Symptoms
So, what can you do about combatting or managing symptoms of SAD? The same lifestyle techniques that can help with winter or holiday blues can also help with SAD. These include, but are not limited to, positive changes in diet, exercise, activity, and socialization.
It’s important to note that sometimes these changes are not enough, and that it’s perfectly fine to need extra assistance. To start, beginning or increasing frequency of counseling or psychotherapy can help identify psychological triggers to seasonal affective disorder – and teach coping strategies for managing those stressors. Psychotherapy can also help with obstacles to making lifestyle changes that can improve mood and facilitate recovery quicker and easier.
Another effective and well-researched treatment is light therapy. This requires sitting near a light box for a certain time frame, usually 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type and intensity. Light boxes are available for relatively low costs online, but it’s advisable to talk to your healthcare provider about the specific type of light box that may be best for you. Nevertheless, it’s definitely an option worth exploring, as studies have shown light therapy can work as well as antidepressant medication in many people with SAD.
Antidepressant medications have also been shown to significantly improve SAD. One medication, Wellbutrin (bupropion), has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for this type of depression. Other medications on the market have also been shown to have benefits, but are not yet FDA-approved. For those already being treated for depression, sometimes increasing or adding an additional antidepressant medicine to your current regimen can improve symptoms. The downside to increasing or adding antidepressant medication is the possible increased risk of side effects. Your healthcare provider should be able to give good guidance on which medication may be the most effective and safest for you.
No matter the best direction for you, what’s most important is that you find a mental health care provider that is reputable, knowledgeable, and experienced. Hightop Health clinics, which are independently owned and operated physician practices, are renowned for their commitment to excellence, managing each location with a foundation built on integrity and empathy. Under the care of our prestigious providers, you can expect novel treatment services individually tailored to each of our patients’ unique needs.
While SAD is undesirable at best, the good news is that you don’t have to suffer during the winter months anymore. There are many interventions beyond just medication that you or someone you care about can do proactively to help prevent, minimize, and treat if affected by seasonal affective disorder. The start of a new season represents fresh beginnings and plentiful opportunities. Don’t dread the colder months ahead, but instead embrace the chance to cope with these symptoms and be with friends, family, and loved ones during a time that has so much to celebrate.
If you have any questions regarding effective SAD treatment options for you or someone you care about, please feel free to contact us today–we’re always here to help.