December is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month
- IHCRC
- Dec 8
- 2 min read
December is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month, a time to remember that the holidays may not be happy for everyone due to the "winter blues," when some experience depression with fewer daylight hours.
WHAT IS "SAD?"
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), SAD is a recurrent, seasonal type of depression with symptoms during part of the year. For winter-pattern SAD, symptoms include:
Hypersomnia, or oversleeping
Overeating
Social withdrawal
Some people also experience summer-pattern SAD, which has these symptoms:
Insomnia, or trouble sleeping
Poor appetite
Restlessness
Anxiety
Aggressive behavior
Winter-pattern is more common than summer-pattern, and SAD occurs more often in women than men, according to the NIH. SAD is diagnosed when people experience symptoms in consecutive seasons, especially when symptoms seem to occur most often during those specific seasons.
CAUSES AND TREATMENT
The NIH notes that more research still needs to be done on SAD, especially summer-pattern, but studies have shown that people with SAD may have:
Reduced levels of the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate mood.
Vitamin D deficiency, which people receive from food but also from sunlight.
Altered levels of melatonin, a hormone helping maintain a normal sleep cycle.
Treatment for these causes include:
Light therapy: When a person sits in front of a bright light box daily for about 30-45 minutes.
Therapy and counseling
Vitamin D
Antidepressant medication (when necessary)
DEPRESSION AND SADNESS
If you experience major life changes or disappointing events close to holidays, you may feel sad or depressed, unrelated to Seasonal Affective Disorder. If your sadness lasts more than two weeks, you may be depressed. According to the CDC, depression symptoms include:
Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless often or all the time.
Not wanting to do activities that used to be fun.
Unplanned weight change or changes in appetite.
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or sleeping too much.
Feeling irritable, easily frustrated, or restless.
Lack of energy or feeling tired.
Feeling worthless or overly guilty.
Trouble concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions.
The CDC recommends seeking treatment from a health care provider, especially if your symptoms do not go away, are getting worse, or affect your daily activities.
Help is also available immediately by calling or texting 988. Free, confidential support for anyone in emotional distress or experiencing a suicidal crisis is available 24/7.
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