Tis the season to be SAD

As the leaves begin to change color and snow replaces the once green grass, Vicki Cravillion, a 37-year-old resident of New Franken finds herself becoming less active and somewhat depressed. During spring and summer she spent many hours outside gardening and landscaping. This year, like many other years, she finds herself with a severe case of cabin fever and winter blues because she rarely goes outside in the months of fall and winter. Cravillion spends many hours sleeping and feeling fatigued all winter long. This is more than just a typical case of cabin fever. Cravillion has a type of depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD.

What is SAD?

According to Ursula Bertrand, a psychologist and private practitioner with Psychological Consultants of Green Bay, SAD is a type of depression which affects a person during the same time every year. "For most people, you start feeling depressed in the fall and winter months, but in some rare cases SAD causes depression in the spring and summer months," Bertrand said.

Causes

According to Stacie Herzog, adjunct instructor of human development and psychology at UW-Green Bay, the main cause of SAD is the lack of sunlight during the fall and winter months. The lack of sunlight can cause the serotonin levels to drop and lead to depression. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that affects a person's mood. "The change in seasons disrupts your bodies' circadian rhythm and may cause feelings of depression and fatigue during the day," Herzog said. Circadian rhythm is the bodies' biological clock, and it determines when a person should be awake or go to sleep. Melatonin levels can also be disrupted by the change of seasons and cause SAD. Melatonin is a natural hormone released into the body during hours of darkness. Melatonin has a key role in mood and sleep patterns.

Symptoms

According to WebMD, the common symptoms of SAD are feeling depressed, grumpy, moody or anxious. Most people with SAD lose interest in usual activities they once enjoyed. People tend to eat more and crave carbohydrates. Eating more may cause a noticeable weight gain. Also, people with SAD tend to sleep more and feel fatigued during the daytime hours. People with summer SAD, or reverse SAD, often have a decreased appetite with weight loss, sleep fewer hours than normal, wake up depressed and feel restless and fidgety.

Diagnose

According to the Mayo Clinic, to be diagnosed with SAD a person must meet certain criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. First, a person must have experienced depression and other SAD symptoms for at least two consecutive years, during the same season every year. Second, the periods of depression have been followed by periods without depression. Third, there are no other explanations for the changes in your mood or behavior. To help diagnose SAD, doctors will usually use other tests to rule out other conditions. The doctor will ask detailed questions about moods, behavior and lifestyle. Finally, a physical exam will be given to check for any underlying physical conditions which could have caused the depression. There is no real medical test to determine if a person has SAD.

Treatment

Herzog said there are three types of treatment for SAD: light therapy, medications and psychotherapy. Light therapy involves using a bright light box one sits in front of for about 30 minutes to 2 hours each morning. The light box helps replace the lack of outdoor lighting and may cause a change in serotonin levels in the brain and cause a positive change in mood. The light also helps reset the body's biological clock. Another form of treatment is the use of medication. Standard antidepressant medications, such as Prozac and Zoloft, appear to be as effective as light therapy for treating seasonal affective disorder. It may take a few weeks for the antidepressant medications to have any effects on symptoms of SAD. The last form of treatment offered is psychotherapy. This type of treatment involves one-on-one verbal communication with a therapist. Most people who choose psychotherapy discuss their negative thoughts and behaviors. The therapist teaches these people how to cope with these feelings and manage their stress.

How common is SAD?

According to the Mayo Clinic, being female, living far from the equator and a family history can increase a person's risk of developing SAD. Even though more women are diagnosed with SAD, men display more severe symptoms. People who live far north or south of the equator have a higher occurrence of SAD. This is due to the decreased sunlight in the winter and longer days of summer. "In Finland, they have 23 hours of darkness during certain parts of the year, so they have high rates of SAD which is around 9 percent," Herzog said. "Some research suggests that Wisconsin has a SAD rate of 3 to 4 percent." Prevention

Bertrand said there is no known way to prevent SAD, but there are certain lifestyle choices which can help. Getting outside as much as you can, especially in the morning, can help. Taking regular vacations to warm, sunny places in the winter months can also help. Having windows and bright lights in the home will create a better environment in the winter. These options may not always prevent SAD, but they may help reduce symptoms. Like Cravillion, Michael Jepson, an undeclared sophomore at UWGB, has SAD. In the summertime, he is a free spirit and enjoys spending time outside at the beach under the bright, hot sun. As the temperature begins to drop and summer ends, Jepson feels himself becoming drained and tired. Instead of taking pleasure in the outdoor activities he enjoyed during the summer, he finds himself inside watching movies and sleeping. Jepson has seen this same pattern happen year after year. Currently many people are living with SAD, not all have been diagnosed yet. It's never too late to defeat this horrible case of cabin fever or winter blues. By seeking the help of a doctor you may defeat the symptoms of SAD, so winter will no longer be a sad time of year.