The Calm Before the Storm: How to Cope with Seasonal Depressive Disorder
Yet another day of sadness amid fallen leaves. That's what seasonal depression disorder looks like!
Seasonal depression disorder might sound odd, but it happens to many of us without us knowing or even acknowledging it.
This blog will help you uncover the reality of seasonal depression disorder and some of the most effective ways to cope with it. If you are tired of trying to fix yourself, visit KMA Therapy for a detailed evaluation and the help you need. In the meantime, let's read this blog!
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, reaches its peak when the days start to get shorter and when the human body is exposed to less sunlight. This might be confusing and hard to believe, but that's what SAD does.
The changed weather wreaks havoc with circadian rhythms, or internal body clocks, influencing our sleep patterns, moods, and hormone functioning. At times, the symptoms might be overpowered, ranging from repeated bad moods to a lack of interest in things one used to enjoy and eating or sleep habits. Then, you must go for seasonal depressive disorder treatment.
Sometimes, it feels too complex and challenging to handle, but the right treatments, like bright light therapy, proper exercise, and routine, can make all the difference. This is like resynchronizing your body's biological clock with the outside environment, thus improving your moods and general well-being.
Who is at Risk for SAD?
Not sure who's at a greater risk of seasonal depression disorder? Well, you know it's such a condition that does not discriminate very much, but some people could find themselves more at risk. To begin with, if one lives far north (or south) and the days are shorter and darker in winter, it may make them more likely to develop SAD.
This has an impact on women more than men, and most of the time, it affects young adults. At any point in their lifetime, around 2-3% of the population in Canada suffers from SAD, and the other 15% of the population suffers from a milder form of SAD that brings just a mild level of depression.
Winter becomes difficult when you or your loved ones have bipolar disorder accompanied by SAD. The seasonal changes tend to amplify the symptoms of SAD. You must immediately go for the seasonal depression disorder treatment once signs are seen. Highly effective treatments include light therapy, counselling, and sometimes medication.
So, if you are thinking about how to deal with seasonal depression disorder or how to fight seasonal affective disorder, let me remind you first: it is not an excellent option to be struggling alone. Get at least some help, and speak the symptoms out in front of a professional so that you can change your life to move ahead and improve your whole life.
What Causes SAD?
So, what's causing Seasonal Affective Disorder? It's a beautiful question with a somewhat complicated answer. While the exact causes of SAD are being researched, generally, this phenomenon is thought to have connections with how our body might respond to daylight, or more particularly, the lack of it during short days of the year:
Health and Internal Clock
Sunlight is crucial to our health. If we are exposed to less sunlight, our internal clock might be disturbed. This could also lead to a disrupted circadian rhythm, which is necessary to regulate our internal clock.
Example: Cities such as Iqaluit or Yellowknife have shorter days during the winter. However, such limited sunlight exposure leads to significant depression activation due to confusion regarding one's body keeping track of its circadian rhythm, as it will receive much less natural light.
Serotonin Production
The human brain produces 10% of serotonin, a neurotransmitter necessary to regulate our mood. In the case of seasonal depression disorder, the serotonin levels might drop due to reduced sunlight, making you feel depressed.
Example: The long Canadian winters also mean a lack of sunlight, and it is well known that less sunlight can lead to decreased production of serotonin. This primary hormone stabilizes our mood. For someone living in Vancouver, where it often stays overcast for long periods, this fall in serotonin makes winters especially brutal on the mood.
Melatonin Disruption
Melatonin levels might also get out of whack because of the seasonal changes. This hormone regulates sleep and could shift and contribute to mood changes and sleep patterns.
Example: In Toronto, the daylight hours are few, and the body might produce melatonin when it shouldn't. This leads to a change in the sleeping pattern and mood swings, which make you feel tired in the daytime and wide awake at night.
What are the Symptoms of SAD?
According to Deborah Pierce, MD, MPH, "There are several screening questions that can help determine if someone is depressed." However, we may also look for the symptoms. Here's a list of all the possible symptoms of SAD.
Persistent Low Mood
If you are constantly feeling low and under the cloud, where you can no longer feel joy in your favourite activities, it means you are suffering from seasonal depression disorder, and it is more than just a few bad days.
Loss of Interest
As mentioned earlier, if you are suffering from SAD, you will lose interest in activities that you usually love doing, just like having a ski trip, which generally would excite you. Still, during this period, you just do not feel interested anymore. Thus, loss of interest is a significant symptom of seasonal depressive disorder.
Fatigue and Low Energy
Do you feel like you're moving through molasses even after getting a whole night's sleep? Such intense sleepiness is characteristic of SAD and makes easy things in life seem like mountains.
Sleep Problems
Whether you're tossing and turning and can't sleep, or you're oversleeping and still feeling tired, disrupted sleep patterns are a big red flag for how to deal with seasonal depression disorder.
Changes in Appetite and Weight
It can also manifest as a craving for carbs and weight gain, especially during the winter months. In these scenarios, the body tries to pump more, which impacts moods. However, in some cases, the situation can go haywire and create extreme weight changes.
Irritability
Do you feel grumpier than usual? Are even small things becoming the cause of your irritation? It might be SAD! And actually, it can be worse, much worse, even for those who are managing bipolar disorder and seasonal depression.
13 Ways To Cope with SAD
If you are still struggling to find the right ways to cope with SAD or if your question "how to deal with seasonal depression disorder" remains unanswered, here are 14 practical ways to cope with SAD:
Consulting with a Healthcare Provider 🩺
Professional diagnosis is important to differentiate Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) from other types of depression. A healthcare professional would discuss symptoms, take a history regarding possible causes, and then diagnose SAD.
The professional may recommend a treatment plan that may include light therapy and/or medication and psychotherapy. If accurately diagnosed, the suggested treatment and medication would work better and quicker.
Mind Preparation in Autumn 🍁
Before the beginning of winter, if you engage yourself in mindful and emotionally strengthening activities, you might build emotional resilience towards the condition.
You may also include exercises, social engagement, and some engaging hobbies to lessen the effects of depression. This has been proven to be ideal for dealing with seasonal depression while reducing the severity during the peak season.
Bright Light Therapy 💡
Bright light therapy might be a good treatment for seasonal depressive disorder because it acts like natural sunlight and helps reset the circadian rhythm. You can use the light therapy box every morning for almost 30 minutes.
Using light therapy during the first hour of waking up increases the effectiveness of the treatment. This method has been proven effective in coping with seasonal depression disorder by altering the production of chemicals required for balance of mind and significantly helping increase mood and sleep.
Using Dawn Simulators ☀️
This sunrise simulation device mimics the sunrise, gradually offering an increase of light, just like the sunrise. It can help wake the person softly by causing brightening moods.
It usually comes in handy for bipolar disorders for setting a natural rhythm with the easing gentle start of another day without the probability of triggering maniacal episodes.
Antidepressant Medication 💊
If symptoms persist when other therapies are tried, medicines may be prescribed. Antidepressants are used very effectively for the usual treatment of SAD seasons, which start in autumn and run through spring and must always be seen by a doctor.
Prioritizing Social Interaction 👫
Social contact is crucial for avoiding loneliness and isolation, which tend to worsen at the darker time of year. Maintaining regular contact, whether in person safely, socially, or digitally, really helps mental health at this time.
Integrating Aromatherapy 🌿
With new research still emerging concerning the effectiveness of essential oils in SAD, many have come to realize that aromatherapy calms down the body and mind as well.
Using diffusers or topical applications as an add-on treatment can create an environment where relaxation lasts and mood is elevated.
Adhering to a Routine 📅
One of the best methods for synchronizing the body clock, including sleeping patterns and mental health, involves living according to a day-to-day routine schedule.
Maintaining consistent times for waking up, having meals, or exposure to light fosters the body's natural rhythms.
Regular Physical Activity 💪
Exercise is among the best antidotes to depression because it can bring out a good mood while increasing the energy that arises from endorphins being released in our system. If natural sun outside is not present, it can also be done indoors around windows or bright lights.
Maximizing Natural Light Exposure 🪟
Increase your exposure to natural light to brighten up your environment. Open the curtains of your room in the daytime and spend a reasonable amount of time outdoors—whether it is cold or rainy—because it has been considered one of the proven ways to improve SAD symptoms.
Planning a Sunny Getaway ✈️
Travelling to a brighter and sunnier place, especially during winter, would alleviate the suffering of SAD symptoms. For some, just planning the getaway can be enough to help them improve their moods and get through those dreary winter months.
Reducing Alcohol Consumption 🚫🍷
Alcohol is known to enhance depression and disrupt sleep. Therefore, one of the major components of managing SAD is to lessen or quit the intake of alcohol.
This might help individuals to regulate their symptoms better while maintaining a healthier overall self.
Journaling for Coping 📓
One of the most effective methods that healthcare professionals have commonly prescribed to cope with any kind of depression is writing. Writing is a source of letting all that's inside you out.
It will also pave the way for emotion processing to elucidate thought patterns that would better manage mental health. Monitoring changes in moods and triggers, along with coping strategies while journaling, can help manage SAD.
Start Your Journey To End Seasonal Depression Disorder!
Does it seem like your life is drowning in a deep, dark abyss without any help? KMA Therapy is there to grab you out of the darkest places and bring you into the light, where you can live your life with peace and harmony.
Don't let seasonal depression keep you down. Reach out to KMA Therapy today for a supportive, personalized approach to managing SAD. Take the first step to brighter days – schedule your consultation now.
