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Fall’s Shorter Days Can Trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder

Is it the 'winter blues' or something more serious?

By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com

October 26, 2007     Spanish
As fall turns into winter and the days get shorter, many people get depressed. A case of the winter blues, or something more serious?

More than 20 years ago, Dr. Norman Rosenthal and a team of researchers identified a condition he called Seasonal Affective Disorder. People suffering from SAD felt lethargic and depressed. Rosenthal first became interested because he had the disorder himself.

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“I was born and raised in South Africa, where the weather is very delightful,” he told ConsumerAffairs.com “When I came to New York City it was summer, the days were long and I was full of energy. But as the days got shorter – especially after Daylight Savings Time – I really felt a slowing down that I hadn’t felt before. It lasted all winter and the same thing happened the next winter.”

Rosenthal and his team ultimately identified the phenomenon as Seasonal Affective Disorder and categorized it as a type of depression, which can severely impair daily life. Unlike typical cases of depression, SAD is a cyclic, seasonal condition. Symptoms usually appear and disappear at the same times every year.

Usually, the symptoms appear during late fall or early winter and go away during the warmer, sunnier days of spring and summer. And unlike most cases of depression, the trigger is physical, not emotional, and is tied to reduced exposure to light.

“It a biological thing, but it comes out in a very behavioral way,” Rosenthal said. “People look like they are shy, or withdrawn, they’re not as intelligent as they normally are – but really, it’s a biochemical cascade.”

How do you know if you are being affected by SAD? Symptoms of winter-onset seasonal affective disorder include:

• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of energy
• Social withdrawal
• Oversleeping
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating and processing information

The good news, says Rosenthal, is that there are a number of treatments. Many are outlined in his best selling book, Winter Blues. Many are simple treatments involving increased exposure to light.

“You can take morning walks in the sunlight, and try to spend more time outdoors during daylight hours,” he said. “When working indoors, lamps and bright light fixtures can have a good effect.”

Light therapy simulates outdoor light and is aimed at causing a biochemical change in the brain that lightens mood. In light therapy, the subject sits a few feet from a specialized light therapy box. It’s a popular treatment because it is generally easy to use and has few side effects.

In some more serious cases, people with SAD may benefit from treatment with antidepressants or other psychiatric medications. The Food and Drug Administration has approved bupropion extended release tablets for the prevention of depressive episodes in people with a history of SAD. Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac and Effexor are also common treatments for severe SAD.

While gray winter days tend to make everyone a little down in the dumps from time to time, extended blues during the fall and winter can be the sign of something more serious. Don’t hesitate to bring it up with your doctor and discuss ways to treat it.

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