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Going Through the Highs and the Lows of Seasonal Depression

“Do you have SAD?” No, that’s not a grammatical error that is supposed to be “Are you sad?” It is SAD, as in Seasonal Affective Disorder, or popularly known as seasonal depression.

It’s the season to be jolly, and now it’s the season to be depressed. That is how people with seasonal affective disorder live their lives. As the cycle of the year goes round like a wheel, so does their mood. So what is it really about seasonal depression and why is it so popular among people?

What Is It?

Seasonal depression is depression that occurs each year at a certain season or period of time. The thing is that it occurs at the same season each year. As soon as that time of the year comes, you get that ‘I hate my life today’ kind of feeling.

Some people usually start having seasonal depression at the start of fall or winter that ends during spring or summer. While there is also a rare kind of seasonal depression that starts during late periods of spring or early parts of summer then ends when fall comes around.

Exclusive Symptoms of Seasonal Depression

Seasonal depression, like the general kind of depression has the same symptoms of having extreme sadness, irritability, and too much anxiousness, loss of interest in daily activities, sudden unsociability, and concentration problems. However, there are other symptoms that are exclusive to a certain season only.

For example, during winter depression, the added symptoms are fatigue; sleep cravings, low energy levels, weight gain, food cravings, and desire for solitary confinement. People who have summer seasonal depression usually experience weight loss, decreased appetite and sleeping problems.

What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?

There is no known exact cause of seasonal affective disorder. However, studies show that latitude has high influence on the condition, due to sunlight changes. It is proposed that when you are not exposed to sunlight that much, your body’s biological clock slows down your sleep, mood, and hormones. However, with light exposure your biological clock can reset and go back to its normal pace.

Another proposed cause of seasonal affective disorder is that people who have this condition have altered neurotransmitters, responsible for the chemical imbalances in their brains. It is also believed that subsequent light exposure can correct these chemical imbalances.

If you feel that you have seasonal depression, you shouldn’t self-diagnose; that can only lead to further problems. It would be best to consult a doctor first about your symptoms, and get a medical diagnosis.