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Are you feeling SAD?
Seasonal Affective Disorder can turn winter’s
white to
internal blues
We are into the long cold winter months and the
holiday season. While a joyous time for most, many people experience sadness or
feel down, especially if they are alone or isolated. It is not unusual to feel
lethargic December through March. For some, the depressed mood is more than a
case of the blues.
Everyone gets the blues now and then. It’s
part of life. Being "down in the dumps" over a period of time is not a
normal part of growing old. But it is a common problem. One in every five older
adults is affected by depression. It can be triggered by stressful situations,
such as the death of a spouse or someone close, or a chronic illness. It can be
a genetic disorder. As a person ages, the signs of depression are much more
likely to be dismissed as crankiness or moods of "old age." Symptoms
caused by depression can sometimes mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
or other disorders.
Many older adults serve as caregivers. This
role has an enormous impact on one’s life. It can cause lifestyle changes and
reversal of family roles. It can be personally satisfying but stressful. The
stress of caregiving can trigger depression.
Mood changes and common symptoms of depression
are sometimes the result of side effects of drugs commonly taken by older
patients for high blood pressure and heart disease. Depression in older adults
also frequently occurs with other chronic diseases, making a diagnosis
difficult.
The first step to getting help is to overcome
negative attitudes. The subject of mental illness still makes many, especially
older people, uncomfortable. Some feel that getting help is a sign of weakness.
For most people, depression can be treated successfully. Talk therapies,
medications, or other methods of treatment can ease the pain of depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Research has shown that people’s mood can be
affected by the changing of the seasons.
The word affective means mood. Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder, like depression. SAD occurs as a
result of the changing of the seasons. People with SAD have clinical depression
during the autumn and winter seasons, returning to their normal emotional level
during spring and summer.
Researchers believe that SAD is caused from the
shortened daylight during the cold months. Because of this, more people in the
northern states are diagnosed as having SAD. Only 1 percent of the population is
diagnosed with SAD in Florida, while 10 percent is diagnosed in Alaska.
Common symptoms of SAD include:
• Extreme fatigue or lack of energy
• Increased need for sleep; sleeping
much more than normal (hypersomnia)
• Carbohydrate craving and increased
appetite
• Weight gain
Other symptoms include common signs of
depression:
• Not caring anymore about work,
hobbies, friends or sexual activity
• Regret for things in the past or
present
• Having trouble concentrating or making
decisions
• Frequently feeling on the verge of
tears or weepy
• Feeling worse in the morning
• Feeling anxious or irritable
• A gloomy view of the future
• Physical pain or headaches
Not to worry, there is treatment for SAD.
Research has shown that exposure to bright, artificial light, called light
therapy or phototherapy, improves SAD symptoms. Other treatments for SAD include
antidepressant medication and counseling. People with milder cases of SAD may
benefit from just spending more time outdoors in the daylight.
It has not been discovered why or how
phototherapy works. Some researchers offer theories on hormones and brain
function. Others think there may be a connection between the seasons and our own
biological clock. During the autumn and winter, our biological clock "ticks
slower" and the bright light "resets the clock" and restores
normal function. Another theory refers to an imbalance in brain chemicals
(neurotransmitters) that can be restored to normal levels by light. A final
theory looks at the eye itself. Some researchers believe that people with SAD
have reduced retinal light sensitivity that can be compensated for by light
therapy.
If you believe you might have SAD your family
doctor can assist you or refer you to a mental health specialist.
There are many resources available on SAD
including books, research, and an association (Society for Light Treatment and
Biological Rhythms).
If you would like additional information about
these resources or any other information about senior resources, call the Senior
LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.
Some additional resources for information on
mental health include:
Mental Health Association of Minnesota; Twin
Cities office, 612-331- 6840; Duluth office, 218-726-0793; Greater Minnesota,
1-800-862-1799.
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of
Minnesota; 651-645-2948.
Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Network of
Minnesota; 651-637-2800 or 1-800-483-2007.
Minnesota Bio Brain Association; 612-922-6916.
Minnesota Depressive and Manic Depressive
Association; 612-379-7933.
Suicide Awareness\Voices of Education (SAVE);
612-946-7998.
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