Are you SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder is one form of depression. Millions of people each year suffer from the illness. Learn more about this illness by reading on.
Are you Sad?
Sure everyone gets sad at one time or another but I am not referring to that typical sadness that comes after a death in the family or some other type of loss. S.A.D. stands for seasonal affective disorder, which is a form of depression. S.A.D. is different from the ordinary depression in that it only occurs during the winter months of the year.
SAD Demographics
Approximately 10 million American people suffer from SAD. The incidence of SAD is higher in the more northern latitudes, such as New Hampshire. In New Hampshire approximately 9.7% of the residents develop SAD. In Florida, however, the incidence is much lower, at 1.4%. Around 70-80% of SAD sufferers are women. The most common age of onset is a person in their thirties.
During winter we are not exposed to as much sunlight as we are during the other seasons of the year. SAD was first discovered in 1845 but was not officially named until the early 1980s. Sunlight affects the seasonal activities of animals, such as bears, who must hibernate during the winter. As the seasons change, there is a change in our biological internal clocks or circadian cycle. This is due partly to the changes in the sunlight patterns. This causes our internal clocks to be out of sync with our daily life. The most difficult time for a person with SAD is during the months of January and February.
Symptoms
The symptoms of SAD closely resemble that of atypical depression.
Usually desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake but, in some cases, disturbed sleep and early morning wakening
Feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine
Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, usually resulting in weight gain
Feelings of misery, guilt and loss of self-esteem, sometimes hopelessness and despair, sometimes apathy and loss of feelings
Irritability and desire to avoid social contact
Tension and inability to tolerate stress
Decreased interest in sex and physical contact
In some sufferers, extremes of mood and short periods of hypomania (overactivity) in spring and autumn.
Sufferers of SAD are also prone to weakening of the immune system during the winter months and therefore are more vulnerable to infections and other illnesses.