{"id":17239,"date":"2023-12-27T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T19:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.helloklarity.com\/?p=17239"},"modified":"2023-12-26T04:04:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-26T12:04:06","slug":"what-is-seasonal-affective-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.helloklarity.com\/post\/what-is-seasonal-affective-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"What is seasonal affective disorder or \u201cwinter depression?\u201d\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re like many people in the U.S., you may feel a bit down during wintertime and even during other seasons. Sometimes, the trigger for winter and other depression that can benefit from treatment<\/a> is the stress of the holidays. This is what we often call the “winter blues” or “winter depression.” But, for some people, the blues are something more serious – seasonal affective disorder or SAD. But just what is seasonal affective disorder?<\/p>\n

Seasonal affective disorder differs from the winter blues. People with SAD don’t just feel “down” during certain seasons — they go through a full depressive<\/a> episode. However, with treatment<\/a>, you can manage symptoms of depression, including seasonal depression.<\/p>\n

In this article, we discuss what is seasonal affective disorder, its symptoms, causes, and how you can cope with it as winter — or your trigger season — approaches.<\/p>\n

What is seasonal affective disorder? <\/h2>\n

Seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD<\/a> or seasonal depression, is a mental health condition that causes people to go through depressive episodes during certain seasons. Unlike other people with major depression, who can be affected by symptoms at any time, people with seasonal affective disorder start experiencing depression symptoms at the same time every year. <\/p>\n

Most people with seasonal affective disorder become depressed during the cold winter months (fall and winter) – however, according to MedlinePlus<\/a>, about 10% of people affected experience seasonal depression in the spring or summer.<\/p>\n

According to psychiatry.org<\/a>, around 5% of American adults are affected by SAD — that’s more than 10 million people. People who live in more northern latitudes are more likely to be impacted.<\/p>\n

Although many of us feel down during the dark winter days, seasonal affective disorder is much more serious than the “winter blues.” Just like any other mental health condition, seasonal depression requires treatment — it’s unlikely to go away on its own.<\/p>\n

What month does seasonal depression start?<\/h3>\n

For most people, symptoms of seasonal affective disorder start around October, when the days get shorter and temperatures drop. Symptoms typically last for around 5 months. If your state participates in daylight savings, you may notice symptoms start after daylight savings time ends.<\/p>\n

Some people experience seasonal affective disorder in the summer months, too. For these people, symptoms may appear at the start of summer or when daylight savings begins.<\/p>\n

What’s the difference between seasonal and chronic depression?<\/h3>\n

Chronic depression, officially diagnosed as persistent depressive disorder, is a mood disorder that causes people to experience symptoms of depression almost all the time for 2 years or longer. The symptoms may not be as severe or debilitating as symptoms of a major depressive episode, like suicidal thoughts or hopelessness (although they can be), but they never really go away.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder go away at some point during the year. People with SAD start to feel depressed as the seasons change — usually during the transition into winter — but their symptoms disappear during other seasons. <\/p>\n

If you feel depressed all year long but experience worse symptoms during certain seasons, you may be living with persistent depressive disorder (chronic depression) — not SAD. The only way to know is to get an evaluation<\/a> from a licensed mental health professional.<\/p>\n

What causes seasonal depression?<\/h2>\n

Like with most chronic health conditions, no one knows what causes some people to develop seasonal affective disorder. It probably doesn’t have one singular cause. However, research from the National Institute of Mental Health (NMH)<\/a> has found that several biological factors may play a role in seasonal depression.<\/p>\n

Reduced sunlight and circadian rhythms<\/h3>\n

The level of sunlight available in the winter is an important factor in the development of seasonal depression. This is why winter-pattern seasonal depression is much more common in people living farther away from the equator — where the days get shorter during winter months.<\/p>\n

The reduced level of sunlight (or, for summer-pattern SAD, the excessive amount of sunlight) can affect your body’s biological clock — also known as the circadian rhythm. Every living creature has a circadian rhythm, which impacts the sleep-wake cycle and body temperature regulation, among other important processes. <\/p>\n

Experts believe that the disruptions to your circadian rhythm caused by the changing sunlight levels can cause symptoms of depression.<\/p>\n

Melatonin<\/h3>\n

You may have also heard of — or even taken the supplement — melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep and plays a role in mood. Seasonal changes (and lack of sunlight) can cause your body to release too much melatonin, which can lead to depression symptoms like fatigue, hypersomnia (sleeping too much), and low mood.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, for those with spring- or summer-pattern seasonal depression, increased sunlight can cause your body to produce insufficient levels of melatonin. This can also lead to depression<\/a> and anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Serotonin<\/h3>\n

Serotonin is another hormone that plays a role in both chronic and seasonal depression. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that’s important for regulating mood. People with depression have less stable levels of serotonin in their brains. The lack of sunlight may make this even worse for people with seasonal depression.<\/p>\n

There are other risk factors for developing SAD. These include:<\/p>\n