Tis the season to be SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Ashley Cravillion
Issue date: 12/3/09 Section: Life
As the leaves begin to change color and snow replaces the once green grass, Vicki Cravillion, a 37-year-old resident of New Franken finds herself becoming less active and somewhat depressed. During spring and summer she spent many hours outside gardening and landscaping. This year, like many other years, she finds herself with a severe case of cabin fever and winter blues because she rarely goes outside in the months of fall and winter.
Cravillion spends many hours sleeping and feeling fatigued all winter long. This is more than just a typical case of cabin fever. Cravillion has a type of depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD.
What is SAD?
According to Ursula Bertrand, a psychologist and private practitioner with Psychological Consultants of Green Bay, SAD is a type of depression which affects a person during the same time every year.
"For most people, you start feeling depressed in the fall and winter months, but in some rare cases SAD causes depression in the spring and summer months," Bertrand said.
Causes
According to Stacie Herzog, adjunct instructor of human development and psychology at UW-Green Bay, the main cause of SAD is the lack of sunlight during the fall and winter months. The lack of sunlight can cause the serotonin levels to drop and lead to depression. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that affects a person's mood.
"The change in seasons disrupts your bodies' circadian rhythm and may cause feelings of depression and fatigue during the day," Herzog said.
Circadian rhythm is the bodies' biological clock, and it determines when a person should be awake or go to sleep.
Melatonin levels can also be disrupted by the change of seasons and cause SAD. Melatonin is a natural hormone released into the body during hours of darkness. Melatonin has a key role in mood and sleep patterns.
Symptoms
According to WebMD, the common symptoms of SAD are feeling depressed, grumpy, moody or anxious. Most people with SAD lose interest in usual activities they once enjoyed. People tend to eat more and crave carbohydrates. Eating more may cause a noticeable weight gain. Also, people with SAD tend to sleep more and feel fatigued during the daytime hours.
Cravillion spends many hours sleeping and feeling fatigued all winter long. This is more than just a typical case of cabin fever. Cravillion has a type of depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD.
What is SAD?
According to Ursula Bertrand, a psychologist and private practitioner with Psychological Consultants of Green Bay, SAD is a type of depression which affects a person during the same time every year.
"For most people, you start feeling depressed in the fall and winter months, but in some rare cases SAD causes depression in the spring and summer months," Bertrand said.
Causes
According to Stacie Herzog, adjunct instructor of human development and psychology at UW-Green Bay, the main cause of SAD is the lack of sunlight during the fall and winter months. The lack of sunlight can cause the serotonin levels to drop and lead to depression. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that affects a person's mood.
"The change in seasons disrupts your bodies' circadian rhythm and may cause feelings of depression and fatigue during the day," Herzog said.
Circadian rhythm is the bodies' biological clock, and it determines when a person should be awake or go to sleep.
Melatonin levels can also be disrupted by the change of seasons and cause SAD. Melatonin is a natural hormone released into the body during hours of darkness. Melatonin has a key role in mood and sleep patterns.
Symptoms
According to WebMD, the common symptoms of SAD are feeling depressed, grumpy, moody or anxious. Most people with SAD lose interest in usual activities they once enjoyed. People tend to eat more and crave carbohydrates. Eating more may cause a noticeable weight gain. Also, people with SAD tend to sleep more and feel fatigued during the daytime hours.
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