PORTSMOUTH- With the holiday season over, and a dreary, wet new year underway, it is easy to look at the grey around you and miss sunshine and warmth. For some, the seasonal change is much more serious than missing the outdoors.

According to Compass Community Health’s Belinda Rose, many suffer from something known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.

“Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that is characterized by a recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about four to five months out of the year,” Rose explained. “Many people go through short periods when they feel sad or unlike their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. Many people feel ‘down’ or have the ‘winter blues’ when the days get shorter in the fall and winter. Then they may feel better in the spring when days are longer and there is more sunshine.”

According to Rose, most symptoms of the disorder begin in late fall or early winter, when time change is in effect. This is often recalled as winter-pattern SAD. While there is a summer-pattern, it is less common.

Some of the symptoms of depression, according to Rose, can consist of persistent sad, anxious or ‘empty’ moods that last most of the day; pessimism or feelings of hopelessness; irritability and restlessness; decreased energy and fatigue; physical symptoms, such as aches, pains, cramps, and more; feelings of guilt and worthlessness; unplanned weight changes; thoughts of death or suicide; and more.

For winter-pattern SAD, there can be additional symptoms, which may include hypersomnia, overeating, and social withdrawal.

“SAD usually starts during adulthood. The risk of SAD increases with age. It’s rare in people under age 20. Women are affected more often than men. And SAD occurs more frequently in younger adults than in older adults,” Rose explained. “If left untreated, Sometimes, the mood changes from SAD can be more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and behaves. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior when the seasons change, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder.”

According to Rose, there are many factors that impact symptoms.

“Certain Factors increase your risk of having seasonal affective disorder include having a blood relative who has had SAD or other forms of depression. If you suffer from Depression or Bipolar Disorder, you’re symptoms may worsen with season changes. If you live in an area that has decreased daytime hours and sunlight during the winter and has longer days during the summer months. When your Vitamin D is low, symptoms of depression/SAD can increase due to less exposure to sunlight or not getting enough Vitamin D in a person’s diet.”

Rose continued to explain that SAD can be a very life altering diagnosis and should be considered seriously.

“Make an appointment with a psychiatrist or mental health nurse practitioner,” Rose said. “SAD may be diagnosed after a careful mental health exam and medical history done by a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. They should be able to help with treatment of your symptoms.”

Treatment for SAD can include a plethora of options. Some of which include exposure to sunlight, including light therapy; psyotherapy; antidepressants; and more. She also expressed the importance of proper diet and sleep, staying away from alcohol and drugs, remaining social, and more.

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.