Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
By Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a regular cycle of depression tied to the seasons. Those with SAD tend to
experience major depressive episodes during a specific time of year - usually winter - and feel okay the rest of the
year.
This form of depression is often related to light sensitivity, so during the winter when the length of daylight
decreases, depression increases. SAD affects people with other types of depression and other psychiatric problems,
such as major depressive or bipolar disorders.
As many as 25% of American are thought to suffer from some form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD can be relatively mild or it can be a serious disorder that requires hospitalization. One study reported
that up to 35% of those afflicted with SAD require some form of hospitalization during at least one period of illness.
Exactly how seasonal changes effect depression and mood is unknown, but various etiologies have been suggested.
Most of the research looking into the mechanisms of SAD have focused on changes in levels of the brain chemicals
melatonin and serotonin in response to changing exposure to light and darkness. In some people, dimmer light
during the winter months cannot be processed properly because there’s a problem in the connection between the
retina and the pineal gland.
Geographical location appears to be a risk factor. Norman Rosenthal, a pioneer in SAD research, has estimated
that the prevalence of SAD in the adult U.S. population is at about 1.5% in sunny Florida as opposed to 9% in
the cloudier northern states, such as Illinois.
In fact, all of these scenarios may contribute to the onset of SAD.
The similarity of symptoms between SAD and atypical depression prompted studies of the clinical overlap
between the two. Subsequent research revealed a high incidence of seasonal depression in patients with
atypical depression. In one study, 63% of participants with atypical depression had seasonality scores
that indicated some form of SAD.
Winter SAD: Fall and Winter Depression
Sometimes called - the winter blues,- the symptoms of winter-onset SAD tend to begin in the fall, peak in the
winter and usually resolve in the spring. The symptoms of fall and winter SAD include:
Depressed mood
Feeling of hopelessness
Anxiety
Lethargy, loss of energy
Oversleeping
Isolation, social withdrawal
Apathy, loss of interest in regular activities
Weight gain usually accompanied by food cravings
Trouble with concentration and focusing
Summer SAD: Spring and Summer Depression
Some people suffer from SAD during the summer, and their symptoms go away during fall and winter. Symptoms
of summer-onset SAD include:
Anxiety
Insomnia
Irritability
Poor appetite and weight loss
Manic phases of euphoria and hyperactivity
Some research suggests that SAD is a subtype of major depression and should be treated as such. People with
SAD often have episodes of major depression during specific times of the year, especially in winter. It is most
likely that seasonal mood changes affect far more people than realized and - like major depression -is probably
underdiagnosed.
References (To view, roll mouse over the "References" heading; to hide, click on the heading)
Fredricks, R. (2008). Healing & wholeness: Complementary and alternative therapies for mental health. Bloomington,IN: Authorhouse.
Magnusson A, Boivin D. Seasonal affective disorder: An overview. Chronobiol Int 2003;20(2): 189–207.
Dietmar W, Pjrek E, Iwaki R, Kasper S. Treatment of seasonal affective disorder. Expert Rev Neurother 2006 Jul;6(7): 1039–48.
Goyer PF, Schulz PM, Semple WE, Gross M, Nordahl TE, King AC, Wehr TA, Cohen RM. Cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with summer seasonal affective disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 1992;7: 233–40.
Schwartz, Arthur and Schwartz, Ruth M. Depression: Theories and Treatments. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993, p. 109–10.
Krauchi K, Reich S, Wirz-Justice A. Eating style in seasonal affective disorder: Who will gain weight in winter? Compr Psychiatry 1997;38: 80–7.
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