The first time I heard about Seasonal Affective Disorder, affectionately called “SAD”, I thought it was nonsense. As a child, I think I genuinely thought that sunny weather was overrated, having grown up in rainy Oregon, but then I reached high school and began to notice a dip in my moods directly related to the sunless periods that grace us in the Northwest. I had to admit defeat. Sunlight exposure truly is important for regulating mental health.
Even if I still resent the intensity of summertime in the high desert for its perpetual heat-waves, dead grass, and wildfires, the longer days have a positive effect on my headspace. That’s probably why summer evenings are so magical. After all, it’s way easier to feel good at the end of the day when the hypothalamus region of your brain isn’t struggling to regulate your mood, appetite, and sleep because you aren’t being exposed to enough light. Since we’re in the middle of a dark winter season, chances are, many of us are struggling to regulate our negative emotions and thoughts. Unfortunately, the solution to this common form of depression isn’t as simple as supplementing one’s diet with more Vitamin D. Although, it’s possible that supplements paired with other treatments like light therapy and antidepressants prescribed by a mental health professional work well together to help fight this seasonal issue. If your struggle with SAD at this time of the year seems at all serious, or more difficult than you’ve faced in the past, consider seeking help and learning more about the neurology behind what you’re feeling.
Just because SAD is a type of depression that comes in a seasonal pattern, and the recommended treatments seem relatively simple, it doesn’t mean that it should be dismissed or ignored. If you recognize that you have the winter blues, then know that you should do something about it without feeling weak, or even spending money, necessarily. You could simply start spending more time outside (even though the freezing temperatures we’ve been having this year make that especially unappealing), and pay special attention to your diet to make sure you’re eating foods with omega-3s, Vitamin D, and complex carbohydrates to help keep your mood from crashing. For me, I’ve settled on the minimal commitment that if I feel really low, I go on a long walk and maybe chat about it with my friends and loved ones. With my experience of SAD, this works, but for those who have a more severe case, the commitment to treatment should mirror that difference. Thankfully, my SAD is like a papercut, whereas the other extreme is an open laceration that requires stitches from a medical professional. Both wounds need to be treated so that they don’t end up endangering one’s health and well-being.
To tackle the physical side of SAD treatment, work on these three things:
Light exposure
There are sun lamps designed to help with SAD, sitting on people’s desks with increasing regularity, and some Scandinavian schools even have children sit under large-scale versions in groups. The lamps simulate the sun, which then stimulates the hypothalamus, causing it to produce the proper doses of hormones that regulate your well-being. Spending more time outside, even when there’s cloud cover and it’s freezing cold, will also do the trick if you’re looking for the cheapest option.
Diet
If the food you consume lacks the kind of nutrition that sustains your brain, your mood and long term mental health are going to be impacted. Again, when it comes to SAD, adding fish and other nutrient-rich nuts to your diet will help supplement your vitamin D and omega 3 intake, which are said to help boost serotonin levels and improve mood.
Finding prescriptions that help
Antidepressants are one of the main treatments for SAD because most patients see improvement as they work with their healthcare provider to find the right prescription. If light therapy and fish aren’t cutting it, this will begin to directly alter your brain chemistry to fight depression. Understandably, not everyone is comfortable going on this medication since there are often unwanted side effects and the need to carefully wean off of it if you ever desire to cease your usage. Antidepressants can put you through dangerous withdrawal if you try to stop cold turkey, so you have to work with your doctor to taper off your dosage. But overall, it’s a popular method of managing depression and anxiety in its various forms.
These concrete steps are widely recommended. However, having the right attitude is also important in facing SAD and its treatment. Here are three ways to approach it:
- Take it seriously
- Do your research
- Be willing to try new things
By acting on these intentions, I know you’ll be able to find the right way to meet your needs in the face of SAD and other mental health challenges.