Many people are victims of the short days and the long nights, wondering why they feel so down during the winter. There are times when they may think, “It’s not like this in the summer.” There’s a name for the way they are feeling. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a disorder that affects a person’s mood and has the signs and symptoms of depression that occur around the same time every year. Living with this can be stressful if you don’t recognize the symptoms and seek help.
Knowing the signs and symptoms can help prevent it from getting worse and can help you know when to get help. It’s common for people with this disorder to have a low mood persistently, such as never having the motivation to get out of bed or to start that chore that needs completing. Another common symptom is feeling stressed or anxious, like when your homework feels overwhelming or practice is becoming too much. The last main symptom is feeling irritable, such as getting angry at your parents easily when asked to do simple tasks or getting annoyed at your classmates for doing things that typically wouldn’t bother you.
Fortunately, there are many ways to combat this disorder. One of the easiest treatments you can implement is exercise. You can do anything from jogging to just going on a walk, and it will improve your mental health. A doctor may also prescribe light therapy for patients with seasonal affectiveness disorder. You complete light therapy by sitting in front of a light brighter than your household lamp for an hour when you first wake up. These first two measures could be combined with antidepressant medication, only prescribed and monitored by your doctor. Combination therapy usually has the best effects.
Knowing the signs and symptoms and how to treat them is only half the battle. With the proper support and care, you will find your way out and back to your normal self. Freshman Case Barkley offers, “Life is like a road, sometimes you drive upwards and sometimes you drive downwards. All I know is you won’t go downwards forever, you always have to return up after being down.”
Millions of Americans live with seasonal affectiveness disorder each year. While it is a difficult form of depression to deal with, those suffering are not alone. Additionally, the daylight will increase each day until the summer solstice.
