The Winter Blues - Seasonal Affective Disorder

The winter months arrive every year like clockwork. For many of us who live further away from the equator, winter comes with a notable loss of sunlight and a significant drop in temperature. Not only are there less hours of sunlight, the sun is not as direct and intense as it typically would be in the summer. Add to that, the increase in the number of layers of clothing we have to wear to deal with the cold. With our skin covered up, the cold discouraging us from being outside and the indirect sunlight – many of us notice a profound negative impact on our mood.

It can be subtle at first. The fall months are filled with the bounty of the harvest. Many places throughout the country take this time to celebrate the efforts of their work. Combine that with the multitude of holidays during the fall and early winter months, and our lives are consumed with excitement and distractions: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and finally the New Year.

But then all the excitement ends. The distractions fad away in January. The pretty lights disappear. The gifts have been opened and are now commonplace. It is just you and the cold winter that will stay with us for several more months. There is a silence that falls over us during these months. That same silence that you experience when you are outside while it is snowing. Everything is muffled by the snow. You only hear the crunch under your feet as you walk. And you are left with just yourself and your thoughts. And for some of us, the idea of being alone with your own thoughts can feel terrifying.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is the defined by the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the bible of mental disorders, as a type of depression – specifically Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern. In layman’s terms, SAD is identical to Clinical Depression with the only difference being that is triggered due to the change in the seasons.

The most difficult months for people with SAD in the U.S. are typically January and February. The symptoms of SAD can be quite overwhelming and may interfere with daily life. About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. Women tend to be more susceptible to SAD than men.

SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours in the winter. As seasons change, the disruption to a person’s biological internal clock or circadian rhythm can cause them to be out of sync with their daily schedule.

Symptoms of Season Affective Disorder

As mentioned, SAD is a variation of Clinical Depression, so their symptoms are identical. The notable difference being that SAD is brought on by the change in the seasons and typically dissipates once the winter season ends.

Depressive Symptoms (You must have 5 or more symptoms in the same two-week period):

·       Depressed mood – most of the day: feeling, sad, empty, hopeless and/or irritable

·       Loss of interest/pleasure – notable decrease in interest of most or all activities

·       Notable unintended weight loss or gain

·       Lack of sleep (insomnia) or excessive sleeping (hypersomnia) – nearly every day

·       Reduction in physical movement (slow talking, slow movement) or excessive movement (pacing, tapping, rapid tapping)

·       Fatigue – nearly every day

·       Feeling worthless or having excessive guilt – nearly every day

·       Decreased concentration - nearly every day

·       Thoughts of death/suicide – recurrent thoughts of death or committing suicide, attempting suicide or having a specific plan for suicide

Additional Criteria (Must have all four):

1.     Symptoms cause significant distress or impair social and work areas

2.     Not associated with the effects of a drug or another medical condition

3.     Not better explained by schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder

4.     No history of manic episodes

Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder

Light Therapy:

Using a light box that emits bright light, but filters out the damaging UV rays, has been shown to help prevent and treat SAD. It typically requires 20 minutes of use or more per day during the winter months. The effects tend to be noticed after about 1-2 weeks of use.

Antidepressants:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a common antidepressant prescribed to treat SAD. SSRIs can take up to 30 days to take affect and require guidance from a psychiatrist or primary care doctor for use.

NOTE – Always follow the guidance of your prescribing doctor before making changes of ending your use of an SSRI. Sudden changes to the dosage of an SSRI can lead to significant side effects including severe depression and suicide.

Emotional Freedom Technique:

EFT, also known as tapping, can be an effective way of treating SAD. EFT involves tapping on acupressure points on your own body in order to calm the amygdala, the fear center of the brain. The tapping allows for the Chi (emotional energy) to move more freely and bring a sense of relief and calm to the mind and body.

Tapping can be used during the depressive symptoms that one is experiencing to help reduce its intensity in the moment and bring relief. EFT can be used with an experienced mental health practitioner to alleviate the source of the depression, thus preventing any discomfort from being experienced at all. SAD may be triggered by the change in seasons, but the contributing cause of the depressive symptoms comes from unresolved emotions and trauma that an individual is carrying with them.

Ending the cycle of SAD

You do not have to live with this annual cycle of SAD for the rest of your life. The winter months do not have to be filled distress and discomfort. You can let go of the pain that is causing your depressive symptoms each year.

If that sounds like a life that you want to live. A life without feeling depressed every winter, then feel free to take advantage of the free tapping session that I offer to see if EFT and I are a good fit for you.