What is SAD?
Seasonal Affective Disorder (A.K.A. SAD) is a type of depression that is linked to the seasons. That is, there is a noticeable pattern of change in some peoples emotions/mood, and behaviour that follows the seasons. For example, symptoms seem to come and go about the same time of the year and do not appear to be related to any obvious stressors, such as mid-term or final exams, or Aunt Bertha’s Christmas visit. 

Usually, this pattern of change is more noticeable in the winter months – beginning in the late fall and subsiding by summer. There is also a pattern of depression that has its onset in the late spring / early summer. This pattern of SAD is called summer depression and is less common.

Who gets SAD & how many people have it?
SAD is relatively uncommon in people younger than 20; although, some children and teens do get SAD. Approximately 4-6 out of every 100 people are affected by SAD and 10% - 20% have some sort of mild symptoms of SAD. SAD is 4 times more common in females than in males. The risk of SAD decreases as you get older, and SAD is more common the farther north you reside: for example, people who live in Thunder Bay, Ontario are at a much greater risk for SAD then those people who live in Palm Springs, California. Recent studies of SAD have shown that most episodes occur in those people who suffer from depressive disorders and in those who have some types of bipolar disorder. 

Common Signs & Symptoms – Seasonal Winter Depression

• Depressed mood/irritability

• Loss of energy

• Anxiety

• Increased need for sleep / tendency to over sleep

• Change in appetite – over eating with a craving for carbohydrates

• Weight gain

• Difficulty concentrating and processing information

• Increased sensitivity to social rejection

• Avoidance of social situations

• Heavy, leaden feelings in arms or legs

• Head aches

• Stomachs

• Feelings of guilt

• Thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide

• Lack of interest in all or almost all activities you enjoyed in the past

• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness

Common Signs & Symptoms – Seasonal Summer Depression

Summer depression is much rarer than Winter Depression and the signs and symptoms of summer depression are similar to those listed for winter depression except for the following:

• Decreased appetite

• Weight loss

• Difficulty sleeping - insomnia

A diagnosis of SAD requires that a person has experienced depression and other symptoms in at least 2 consecutive winters followed by non-depressed periods in spring and summer. Also, there must be no other explanation for the changes in mood and behaviour.

NOTE: Your symptoms can help a physician or psychologist to make a diagnosis of SAD; however, not everyone experiences the same or all of the symptoms listed above. Therefore, if you notice that you are experiencing some of the signs and symptoms listed, it would be a good idea to check it out with a physician and/or a psychologist.

What causes SAD?
It is thought by some that SAD may be linked to the decreased amount of sunlight we receive in the fall and winter months. One of the theories suggests that SAD may be linked to a disruption in what are called “circadian rhythms” (sleep/wake cycle), that regulates your body’s internal clock. Other, research suggests that SAD is related to the decreased amount of sunlight that a person receives in the fall/winter months and altered levels of melatonin (a hormone produced in our brain).

How do you treat SAD?

1. Light therapy: The current treatment of choice is light therapy. Light therapy involves exposing people to a special type of light box or a light visor like cap for an average of 30 minutes a day throughout the fall and winter months. The lights emitted from these bulbs are 10-20 times brighter than ordinary indoor lights.
   
   What are the side effects to Light therapy?
   Light therapy appears to have very few adverse side effects. Some of these effects include irritability; insomnia (inability to sleep) if exposure is late in the day; headache; eyestrain; and fatigue.
    
   CAUTION: Light therapy may not be recommended for those people who have sensitive skin, take certain medications that make skin sensitive to sun exposure, with medical conditions that make eyes vulnerable to light exposure, and those people who suffer from bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorders). Tanning beds are not indicated for treating SAD and SHOULD NOT be used as a form of treatment for SAD. Exposure to extremely high ultraviolet (UV) light can damage your eyes, damage your skin and increase your risk for skin cancer.
   
   

2. Medication: Some physicians may prescribe an antidepressant that has a mild sedative quality, such as Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, or Prozac.
   
   

3. Psychotherapy: Discussing your feelings and thoughts with a therapist/counselor may be beneficial. The therapist/counselor can help you to identify and modify your negative feelings, thoughts, and behaviours that contribute to SAD.

Preventative life-style measures you can make

• Increase the amount of sunshine you receive each day. Get out and take a walk around the block. Sit by a sunny window and read a good book.

• Get active! Try to do some sort of moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes every day. Take a swim, ride a bike, go to the gym, just get active. The positive effects of exercise will make you feel better about yourself, decrease stress, and may help to keep off those extra pounds.

• Eat a well balanced diet: plenty of fruits and vegetables and at least 6-8 glasses of water a day. Try to decrease the amount of sugar / carbohydrates you eat. Too many carbohydrates increases your blood sugar level and can make you feel tired. See a dietician / nutritionist.

• Learn ways to manage and reduce stress in your life.

For help with depression contact 
the Teen Health Centre at (519) 253-8481
and ask to speak to a counsellor