January 2, 2024- Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) is a form of depression that occurs with the change of seasons. It tends to begin and end at the same time. It affects 5 percent of the U.S. population ,lasts about 4 months and is more frequent among women than men. It occurs in Michigan and similar weather areas during winter when it is cold,with short days and little sun. At a personal anecdotal level, I talked to four persons last week who all related they were getting tired of the overcast weather with the lack of sun and were getting run down and feeling sad. This condition clearly saps your energy and leads to a form of depression called SAD. Common characteristics of Seasonal Affective Disorder would include feeling sluggish, having low energy levels,sleeping too much or not enough, having difficulties concentrating on what needs to be done, substance abuse, feeling hopeless and even guilty for the feelings of depression, having no interest in things that normally keep the person interested and sometimes even excited, feeling sad and not enjoying good portions of the day if not the whole day, weight gain, changes in appetite that can include a craving for foods that are high in carbohydrates, and even suicide ideation and feeling it is not worth going on with these feelings. Fortunately suicide ideation is no not typical, but is something to be aware of in yourself or someone you really care about. There can be Seasonal Affective Disorder in the spring and summer but percentages are much higher in the northern parts of the country and world where there is a lack of sunshine, short days, cold temperatures and a high percentage of cloudy conditions without sun. These tend to be in areas far north and south of the equator. Causes of SAD would include a drop in serotonin levels, which is the brain chemical/neurotransmitter that affects the mood of persons and can play a major role in SAD. A lack of sunshine can also cause a drop in serotonin that may bring upon depression. Another cause would be melatonin levels which can negatively impact the balance of melatonin in the person which impacts a person’s sleep patterns and overall mood. Additionally, your biological clock – circadian rhythm – can disrupt your body’s internal clock by having a lack of sunshine that can bring upon depression. If you feel you are becoming particularly sad as the winter season progresses with the lack of sunshine, short days and cold temperatures, remedies would include medication for depression, counseling, exercising, replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts, a light box that replicates actual sunlight, a good diet and even if possible a vacation in the winter to parts of the country loaded with sunshine and warmer temperatures. Many persons just accept they have SAD and do not do enough to try to overcome it. If you start having problems due to SAD with substance abuse, problems with work, family or school, social withdrawal, and for sure with suicide ideation or thoughts, it is time to strongly consider meeting with a therapist who is an expert in SAD and also your medical doctor for potential medication and advice on how to best take care of yourself mentally and physically. If it happens yearly around the same time, it is wise to seek treatment before SAD begins.