Feeling SAD During the Seasons

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has been getting more and more attention over the past few years, but many still ask - what exactly is it and does it differ from depression?

SAD is when symptoms of depression are present during a part of the year where daylight hours have changed. Most people might think of the winter time when we talk SAD, but it can occur anytime of year. An important thing to keep in mind is SAD is not just feeling stressed about your Uncle going on political rants during Thanksgiving dinner or feeling defeated when you find the perfect gift for your partner and it’s not going to be back in stock until March. It's persistent and ongoing depression symptoms for the duration of the change in daylight (usually about 4-5 months.)

SAD affects millions of people. Research suggests it is more prevalent in younger folks and, according to the NIH, may be impacted by sunlight’s effect on our serotonin levels or a lack of vitamin D.

Some signs of SAD can be: persistent sadness, feeling more irritable, not having motivation, finding it hard or impossible to enjoy activities you usually enjoy, physical pains without a physical cause, appetite changes, or sleeping too much or too little.

So what do we do about SAD? Fortunately, there are a number of treatment approaches to SAD including medications and light therapies. More aligned with my psychotherapist wheelhouse, is taking a two fold approach to SAD, getting active and learning how to not take our thoughts as gospel.

Therapists like me, trained in cognitive behavioral approaches to depression, work with folks experiencing depression (including SAD) to help them plan ways to find fulfillment in their daily lives. We also work with folks to identify and really examine the things they tell themselves in the midst of their depression.

One of my greatest joys in my work is helping my clients realize that just because they didn’t get an A on their quiz doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the dumbest student ever and are destined for an unfulfilled life filled to the brim with unrealized hopes & dreams, but that instead it’s far more likely they didn’t fully understand a key concept on their test (because a symptoms of being a human is not always knowing everything) and that they now know what to focus on for the midterm.

Depression talks a lot of shit to us, it doesn’t mean we have to listen to it. Questions about SAD or interest in treatment? Reach out! I’m always accepting consultation calls from folks and love meeting new clients, clearing up any questions, or helping folks find a therapist that’s right for them.