Gloomy weather got you down? How to navigate seasonal affective disorder – National | 24CA News
For many Canadians, a glance exterior their window this week will reveal a dark sight. Grey skies are all too frequent within the winter months when the times are shorter than ever. So is seasonal affective dysfunction (SAD).
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), SAD is a sort of seasonal despair.
“Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that occurs during the same season each year. It usually happens in the fall or winter, but some people may experience season-linked symptoms in the summer,” the CAMH web site says.
Dr. Robert Levitan is the Cameron Parker Holcombe Wilson Chair in Depression Studies at CAMH and the University of Toronto, and a professor of psychiatry at U of T.
“SAD is a tendency for some people during the fall and winter, as the days get very short, to experience symptoms of depression,” he instructed Global News. It can have clear indicators, Dr. Levitan mentioned.
“(People have) feelings of fatigue, loss of interest in activities, social withdrawal. Another part of it is overeating. There’s a lot of people whose primary problem is that they crave carbohydrates and other foods and gain a lot of weight.”
He added, “(Symptoms include) oversleeping, overeating, feeling sluggish, not being able to get going in the morning and then negative thinking. For some people, it can even get into suicidal thinking if they have other risk factors for depression.”
The Canadian Psychological Association says SAD or Depression with Seasonal Pattern is a situation that comes and goes based mostly on seasonal modifications, showing within the fall and going away within the spring/summer time.
“People who get this, get it every year at the same time, and they start to anticipate it. And so it becomes a recurrent form of depression. And then just like it starts on its own, it goes away on its own, of course, at some point when the days get brighter,” Dr. Levitan mentioned.
A major variety of Canadians are affected by SAD yearly.
“It is estimated that SAD makes up 10% of all reported cases of depression. Approximately 15% of Canadians will report at least a mild case of SAD in their lifetime, while 2-3% will report serious cases,” in accordance with the Canadian Psychological Association. “People with a family history of any form of depression may also be at risk of developing SAD. Canadians are particularly at risk, as we have decreased sunlight during the winter months.”
Dr. Levitan cautions folks towards self-diagnosing, as a substitute urging folks to talk to their primary-care doctor. SAD, he mentioned, is distinct from what some folks consult with as “Winter Blues”.
“The winter blues are a wave of low emotions that come with these cold, dark days,” the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) states on its web site, “You may have heard people referring to this as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but the winter blues and SAD are two different things.”
So with winter solstice behind us and the times getting longer, does it imply folks affected by SAD are within the clear? Not fairly, mentioned Dr. Levitan.
“There’s a lag of about two months (after winter solstice). The worst time of year is usually February. And then it starts to get better. And the best month is usually May-June and so forth in terms of mood.”
He added that the stress of the vacation season, which generally is a troublesome time for a lot of for various causes, can have a compounding impact on SAD.
SAD remedy choices — and misconceptions
A standard false impression, Dr. Levitan mentioned, was that having common Vitamin D might help with SAD.
“There’s no evidence that vitamin D works for seasonal affective disorder that I’m aware of,” he mentioned, “It’s probably relevant to your general physical health. So, it’s still a good idea to supplement if you have low levels.”
He mentioned, nevertheless, that there are remedies accessible. This contains gentle remedy, the place sufferers of SAD are uncovered to commercially accessible lights. He mentioned two out of three sufferers reply to gentle remedy and don’t essentially require remedy.
He recommends solely utilizing gentle remedy “under the supervision of a doctor and to make sure its ultraviolet filtered, meaning that the ultraviolet component of the light is taken out because ultraviolet light is very dangerous to your eye.”
CMHA recommends folks “get outside during the day if you can, keep your curtains open, and when indoors, spend as much time as you can near the windows. Even if it’s cloudy, getting some daylight can help boost your mood.”
Maintaining common train and sleep schedules may be essential to battling SAD too. But crucial factor, CMHA states, is to be variety to your self.
“Battling low moods is no easy feat, and it’s important to be kind to yourself. You’re stronger than you think. Remember to have regular check-ins with yourself, and to spend that extra time on self-care if you need to,” CMHA mentioned.
If you or somebody you recognize is in disaster and desires assist, assets can be found. In case of an emergency, please name 911 for fast assist. For fast psychological well being help, name 988. For a listing of help providers in your space, go to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention at suicideprevention.ca. Learn extra about stopping suicide with these warning indicators and tips about how one can assist.
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