As days grow shorter with less sunlight, feelings of depression become more common
KEARNEY, Neb. — Feeling blue and down during the winter months might be more than just a depressive episode. Therapists explain that as days grow shorter and sunlight becomes scarcer, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) becomes more common.
The diagnosis book DSM-5 refers to it as “Major Depressive Disorder with a Seasonal Pattern”, therapists say lack of sunlight can impact the way we feel.
“We tend to see a dip in things like serotonin when we have less light, and so that starts to diminish some of our energy, it starts to affect things like appetite, and motivation,” said clinical therapist with Elevate Counseling and Consulting, Roz Sheldon.
“We don’t have enough Melatonin if we don’t have enough of what our brain needs that the sunshine provides like vitamin D, then our brains don’t function like they should," said licensed independent mental health practitioner, Ashley J Davis.
Davis said some people can be more susceptible than others. But for someone to be diagnosed with depression with seasonal pattern, they would have to experience at least two years of symptoms that become worse during a specific time of the year and the seasonal depressive episodes must significantly outweigh the non-seasonal episodes.
Clinical therapist with Elevate Counseling and Consulting, Melissa Craig , said there are some signs and symptoms everyone should look for during the winter months.
“Like feeling sadder, depress, feeling a little bit more hopeless, not wanting to do things they are typically interested in doing," Craig said.
Davis said that after Christmas time many therapists see an increase in people wanting to do therapy.
“And a lot of times it is because of the lack of sunshine," Davis added.
"I think it's really important to reach out, and now we see more, and more people who are reaching out for therapy," Craig said. " I think with the pandemic there has been a huge increase, and I would just encourage people to reach out, there's a lot of different therapists available."
David said there a lot things people can do to go through these depressive periods, like increasing exercise.
“And when the sunlight is out, try to be outside more," Davis said.
“People can do cognitive behavioral therapy, which is kind of a talk therapy," Craig said. "Where you engage with your therapist to help you process and try to figure out strategies to get you through that period of time.”
And light therapy, also known as phototherapy, which Davis said gives people the natural light you would get from the sun.
“It used to be that you needed a prescription to get it, but now you can order it on Amazon, sometimes in Walmart you can find it," David added.
Davis also recommends people to visit their doctors to check their vitamin D and B levels as these feelings of depression can come from physical changes as well.
