Are You Getting SAD?

Do you feel particularly down in the dumps during a certain time each year? Maybe you feel like winter is just not the season for you, what with the grey skies and the dreary atmosphere. The less the sun shines, the worse you feel. You might be genuinely depressed, with the depression taking a toll on your job, daily activities and personal relationships. Luckily, those bad months end, and the good ones begin; spring and summer are just around the corner. That is, the depression is at least over until next year—if you are experiencing SAD. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a recurrent feeling of depression that happens during the same time each year. If you find that you are depressed during a certain time of the year, such as the cold months of winter, but are completely back to normal during the summer and spring time, you might be experiencing SAD. Any person can get this mood disorder. Here are some ways that you will know if you have SAD.   

Common Characteristics  

There are some common factors that increase your risk of developing SAD. For instance, women are more likely to develop this disorder than men. Also, people who are living far from the equator, with very little sun for most of the year, see more frequent occurrences of Seasonal Affective Disorder within their communities. This is especially prominent in the winter when grass is scarce. Those who have a relative that was diagnosed with SAD are also more likely to develop the disorder.

Causes and Symptoms  

Though experts are not certain what triggers SAD, it seems to be associated with the amount of sun that a person can get in their area during certain times of the year, such as winter. The lack of sunlight can cause a person to feel depressed because it throws off your internal, biological clock. The symptoms of SAD include:

●      Feeling grumpy, anxious or tired

●      Cannot focus on normal activities

●      Craving more crabs and eating more

●      Gaining weight

●      Feeling tired after a lot of sleep

●      Having trouble concentrating

These symptoms come and go with the seasons, but they are noticeably the same with each passing year. It can be hard to tell the difference between SAD and other types of depression when making a diagnosis, so it is important to keep track of these changes in mood for your medical professional.

Substance Abuse and SAD

Those with Seasonal Affective Disorder are at greater risk for also experiencing a substance abuse disorder. Depression can drive a person to drink or use drugs to achieve a quick escape from the negative feelings that they are experiencing. This brings more problems to the table during treatment and often lead to a dual diagnosis Seattle WA or co-occurring disorder.

Emotional Transformation Therapy

Emotional Transformation Therapy is a type of therapy that can remove emotional distress and any physical pain that is being caused by it. This therapy is very effective in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you believe that you suffer from SAD, view our ETT page or contact a representative with South Coast Counseling today.

Read more to learn about Seasonal Affective Disorder and how you can get help with Emotional Transformation Therapy.