Part 1: Understanding Seasonal Depression (SAD)

December 5, 2023 Angela Garcia

Juno Brown is a marketing professional who has been successfully managing their career for several years. They dig into projects with gusto and find a kind of mental high when presenting to customers. However, during the fall and winter seasons, they have consistently noticed a decline in their mood, energy levels, and overall motivation.

Introduction to SAD

What sets seasonal depression apart from general depression, is the timing. SAD is generally experienced in winter months, or the portion of the year when sunlight is decreased. According to the American Psychiatric Association (2020), nearly 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD for nearly 40% of the year. Of the 5% of people experiencing SAD, the majority of those are younger women. Knowing symptoms to watch for can help you determine whether you are a part of that 5%. Please note that symptoms for seasonal depression and general depression tend to be similar if not the same.

Causes and Triggers

Exploring the potential causes of seasonal depression can help you understand it better and possibly understand yourself better. It can also help you realize it’s not your fault that you are feeling a certain way.

SAD has many possible causes. It can be as simple as time zone changes and distance from the equator that alter circadian rhythms. Put in other terms, it’s darker earlier in the day, so your body is confused by the mixed cues. This can also contribute to a vitamin D deficiency, which has been found in people with SAD.

Causes of SAD can also be as complex as the individual chemistry of an individual’s brain. Since genes make proteins and those make neurotransmitters (or chemicals), you could have SAD genetically. According to Heather Jones in the article, Is Spring Depression Real? 25%-67 % of people with seasonal affective disorder have family members that have it as well. Although there is an unclear inheritance pattern in families, there are theories that connect the two.

Another possible cause of SAD is simply living away from the equator. As was mentioned before, decreased sunlight during the winter and longer days during the summer can take its toll.

Recognizing Symptoms

Let’s go back to Juno for a second. Their symptoms included persistent feelings of sadness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite, and disrupted sleep patterns. Recognizing the recurring pattern of these symptoms during the colder months, a mental health professional diagnosed them with Seasonal Affective Disorder. The diagnosis was based on a thorough assessment of symptoms, medical history, and a consideration of the seasonal nature of the depressive episodes.

Knowing symptoms to watch for in yourself as well as in those you love is very important to live a mentally healthy life.

In Juno’s case, together with the therapist, they have developed a multifaceted treatment plan. It involved a combination of psychotherapy, light therapy, and lifestyle adjustments, all of which will be covered in part 2.

So how do you know if you have seasonal affective disorder or possibly general depression? Ultimately that is for you to discuss with a therapist or counselor. If you believe you have any of the previously mentioned symptoms, please reach out to someone to create a treatment plan.

Free Your Mind Counseling, Inc.

Part 1: Understanding Seasonal Depression (SAD)

Introduction to SAD

Causes and Triggers

Recognizing Symptoms

Further Reading and Sources