A guide to understanding seasonal affective disorder

By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Have you ever wondered that the changing season could actually affect your mental health? Can you relate to Lana Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness, Joyner Lucas’ Winter Blues, and Carpenters’ Rainy days and Mondays Always Get Me Down? 

We may take these shift in moods casually, terming it as mere coincidence. But, experts say otherwise — they call it Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition that takes over the mind and mood with the changing season. Some of us tend to get irritable when the temperature drops suddenly or when there’s a downpour. It happens because our mind and body are trying to get adjusted to the changing weather. “SAD is a form of depression, also known as seasonal depression or winter depression. It affects a person’s biological clock which controls their daily functioning,” says Anna Vijay, a psychologist.

It is more common in people living far from the equator, with fewer daylight hours in the winter. According to Vijay, the common symptoms include fatigue, even after adequate sleep. It is also associated with weight gain due to overeating and carbohydrate cravings. SAD can be treated in several ways — light therapy, antidepressant medications, talk therapy or combinations of the same. 

The most followed manual of mental disorders, Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) terms SAD as a type of depression. People with SAD experience mood changes and symptoms similar to that of depression. The symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming, and can interfere with daily functioning. It is more common among women than men. 

“SAD happens in the winter or monsoon, when people do not feel like getting out of bed. They just want to laze around. One of the major symptoms could be irritability and weight loss/gain. Most of the weight loss is experienced during summer as people lose their appetite. They also sweat a lot,” saus Shraddha Sepuri, an organisational psychologist and counsellor. 

During the colder months, people feel like having fried foods and soups to uplift their mood, but this in turn makes them put on weight. “From the past two years, things have changed and there is no particular pattern that is followed. People connect things like SAD to a different perspective, but it starts affecting you and your body. They should consult a psychologist so that the condition does not lead to something more serious.”

SAD happens when our mind and body are trying to get adjusted to the changing weather. The symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming. These can also interfere with daily functioning. SAD is more common among women than men.