Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – What is it and How to Treat it

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – What is it and How to Treat it

It’s pretty common to get the blues as you enter the twilight of the winter months. Just think about it – in the UK we get cold weather and freezing temperatures, darkness by 4 pm, a lethargic feeling physically and mentally, plus the lights going out (literally) as Christmas ends, with January and February the brunt of the worst weather. Naturally, we all feel a little bit down even though we know what’s coming year after year! But have you heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder – which affects people the same way as depression? Let’s explain what it is, how it alters your mood and energy levels, as well as ways to treat it.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Do you crave carbohydrates and gain weight? Perhaps you’re feeling sleepy during the day, struggling to stay awake during your shift at work? Or maybe even irritability is creeping into your life or someone you know? On their own, these symptoms could be down to a bad day or lack of energy following no rest the night before. However, weeks or even months of these bad feelings during the winter could be Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD.

Impacting people throughout the UK, SAD is recognised by the NHS as a type of depression and requires treatment to overcome the issue. More severe symptoms include:

• a persistent low mood
• a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
• feelings of despair or worthlessness

It’s important to recognise these issues, address them and make a change to improve not just your life but those around you. In 2021 amidst the pandemic, statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) highlight that one in five people are showing signs of depression. However, how can you tell SAD apart from depression?

Seasonal Depression vs General Depression – What’s the Difference?

What we do know about SAD is it can affect anyone at any time. In most cases, it does occur during the winter months but it can also happen at any time, with people feeling the symptoms during the summer and upbeat in the winter. Because of the colder temperatures in the winter and lack of exposure to vitamin D, it’s more common between November and March, sometimes even lasting up to six months.

Experts believe the main cause could be the part of the brain called hypothalamus not working due to lack of sunlight. Now you understand why many people look cheery on your holidays or when it’s warm in the UK. Seasonal depression occurs for a few months during a certain time of the year and is likely impacted by weather changes. Meanwhile, general depression can occur at any point, without warning.

Can Seasonal Depression Be Cured?

Thankfully, SAD is something that can be treated. Once you visit your local GP, they may prescribe some medicine to help deal with the problem, offer some cognitive therapy or suggest some natural methods in your journey to cure the type of depression. To begin with, you should try some gentle exercise regularly if you do not do so already. A nice brisk walk, especially if it’s sunny outside (even if it’s cold) will help brighten your mood. If you don’t feel like walking, go for a jog, get involved in some yoga or pilates, hop on the bicycle or head to the gym and swimming pool. Exercise makes the heart and head coordinate as one.

Other ways you can naturally boost your mental wellbeing to overcome Seasonal Affective Depression:

• Talking to someone with a counselling session
• Light therapy, using a special lamp called a lightbox
• Anti-depressant medicines
• Eat a healthy natural diet
• When working from home, have a clean setup, ideally near windows with plenty of fresh air
• Try to reduce stress where possible
• Dietary supplements including vitamin D

We’re Here to Help

Rest assured there is a way out of this and the help is there to get through the Seasonal Affective Disorder with a fresh outlook on the other side. It always helps to talk to someone about your issues, whether it’s with family, friends, colleagues, your partner or even somebody who doesn’t know you. In the UK we now have a wealth of services via different mediums to help those in need. For instance, Samaritans using trained volunteers has been running for decades, with a friendly voice on the other end of the phone or online chat service. You can also use these services:

Mind Services

The Calm Zone

Sane

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

 To get in touch with Global QA click here.