Facing Seasonal Affective Disorder

By Ava Eliasson

   Chances are you know someone who is suffering from depression, or maybe you’ve felt isolated, hopeless, and at a loss of feeling understood by others. Depression is far more common in teens than you may think, with about twenty percent of teens having symptoms of depression, according to PsychCentral. The increased academic pressures, social challenges, hormonal changes, and needless to say the pandemic, make adolescents prone to depression. What is important to note is that you are not alone and there are many strategies to cope with the winter months’ downcast you may be enduring. Instead of seeing Seasonal Affective Disorder or depleted mood as a character flaw, try viewing it as the ability to feel more balanced, positive, and energetic again.

What is SAD?

   Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD can be defined as the discomfort and depression associated with shorter, colder days of late fall and early winter. Although all people have different reactions to reduced hours of sunlight, some children and adults may especially need assistance amid COVID-19’s less frequent socialization, gatherings on hold, and other changes brought by the pandemic magnified by winter. More often than not, joie de vivre has been more difficult to experience when spirit-lifting sporting or cultural events have been halted as well. Fortunately, this monotony gradually retires in spring for the six percent of the population whose emotional and physical problems linger until then. With a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest, SAD affects how you feel, think, and behave.

Signs of SAD

   If you know someone who has common symptoms of depression and unexplained fatigue, you should consider taking matters into your own hands and seeking advice. SAD is triggered by the brain's response to decreased daylight exposure that alters the production of key chemicals melatonin and serotonin. With the onset of biological conditions for depression, a predictable seasonal pattern of symptoms can be noticed. Mood changes, lack of enjoyment, low energy, changes in sleep, eating changes, less time socializing, and difficulty concentrating are several examples of what someone with SAD experiences. Often, lower-than-usual grades or less desire to talk with friends can affect self-esteem and result in disappointment, loneliness, and isolation, especially if they don't realize what's causing the changes in energy, mood, and motivation. Most adults, teens, and children don’t get seasonal depression, but some are more sensitive to light variation or hormone production shifts.

How to Proceed

   Having identified a possibility that you or someone you care about has SAD, I recommend starting a conversation as non-intrusively as possible while expressing concern. Once you reach out to friends and loved ones, make sure to work regular exercise, eating a mood-boosting diet, and engaging with the world into a routine. But if the depression persists, professional help may be necessary. After careful evaluation, doctors and mental health professionals can diagnose SAD while being sure not to mistake it for similar indications of another medical condition. Next, doctors may recommend one of several treatments: increased light exposure, light therapy, talk therapy, and/or medication. The most convenient treatment option is antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These common drugs have benefited those with severe SAD and prevented episodes in people with a history of it. Although a single “cure” cannot be identified, this type of depression, characterized by its recurrent seasonal patterns, tends to lessen with age.

Tips for Handling Seasonal Depression 

   At Nyack High School, many caring teachers and guidance counselors exist as an outlet and listening ear to help guide you through whatever obstacles you may be facing, even outside of school. It can undoubtedly be confusing to those with SAD, their family, or friends when their symptoms begin to develop. Some adults may presume that teens are simply not putting effort into daily activities. But talking to a guardian or a trusted adult is vital to communicate feelings. A few other things you can do to help cope with SAD are: learning about this condition, succeeding in your doctor's recommendations for treatment, exercising outdoors, eating a balanced diet, having regular bedtimes, spending time with those you connect with, asking for help in school when concentration lacks, and having patience. Any form of depression such as SAD can be very serious so if you think you or anyone you know has some of the symptoms mentioned, talk to a doctor or someone who can help provide treatment.