A pattern – that’s what you’re looking for when it comes to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Depression has many causes so SAD isn’t always easy to diagnose, but if you’ve noticed your mood lowering each autumn and that you have a burst of energy again when spring kicks in you may have SAD.
While this disorder is not fully understood, it is thought to be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the winter months. So how exactly does this affect some people?
Experts say that the amount of sunlight we get may affect some of the chemicals and hormones in our brain. One theory is that light stimulates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus – which controls mood, appetite and sleep. When daylight hours are reduced in winter, then some people’s mood, appetite and sleep patterns can be negatively affected.
The production of the hormones serotonin and melatonin are also affected, and the person’s circadian rhythm (the psychological process that regulates the body’s internal clock) is affected. The impact of this? The lack of melatonin results in sleepiness and a lack of energy. The lack of serotonin, which is also a neurotransmitter, means that messages between nerve cells are not being transmitted effectively. The end result is low mood.
Brid O’Meara, director of services at AWARE, the mental health support organisation, says that SAD can affect some people in summer too.
“Often people think Seasonal Affective Disorder is very much about the winter months, but that’s not necessarily the case. Generally, it is more noticeable in September and March – those two times when the light and the seasons are changing. Seasonal can also mean in the summer too and some people will experience their mood being low at that time. Depression is seasonal if people experience low mood at that time of year, every year – and feel well for the rest of the year,” she says.
Seasonal Affective Disorder isn’t a unique mood disorder, she says.
“It’s not necessarily a stand-alone condition but it’s often recognised within depression.”
So what are the symptoms of SAD?
“The symptoms are very similar to depression. In AWARE we talk about the eight symptoms of depression – we use the acronym FESTIVAL to make them easier to remember.
Feeling – sad, anxious, guilty.
Energy – low energy, feeling tired or fatigued.
Sleeping – under or over-sleeping, disrupted sleep or any change to normal sleep pattern.
Thinking – poor concentration, thoughts slowed down.
Interest – loss of interest in hobbies, family or social life.
Value – low self-esteem.
Aches – physical aches and pains with no physical basis.
Life – loss of interest in living, thinking about death, suicidal thoughts.
“People experiencing depression – seasonal or otherwise – may experience all these symptoms,” she says. “They lose interest in things they normally enjoy. For some people it can be food, sometimes friends. People would also notice that their confidence would drop. Others might experience aches and pains, they might feel it somatically, ie in their bodies. There is the concern, of course, that when people’s mood is low that they may lose interest in living and have thoughts or plans around suicide. It is important to remember that any depressive disorder, including Seasonal Affective Disorder, can be severe.”
Go to your GP if you have five or more symptoms
How do you know you have this type of depression? AWARE advises seeing your GP immediately if you have had five of the above FESTIVAL symptoms for more than two weeks.
“If you have them, the change in your mood will be absolutely impacting on your life,” Brid says. “It’s important to understand that depression isn’t always about feeling sad but that it impacts every aspect of your life – your relationships, your friendships, your interests, your hobbies, your thoughts systems, your energy, your feelings and your sleep.”
Sleep pattern changing often first sign
A change in sleep patterns, Brid knows from people who use AWARE support services, is very often the first thing that people notice going awry when SAD or depression kick in.
“We are talking about any alteration in your sleep – it could be undersleeping, oversleeping or disrupted sleep – something that’s different for you.”
Use F-E-S-T-I-V-A-L to start conversation
Brid O’Meara suggests bringing up the eight FESTIVAL symptoms in your conversation with your GP.
“They are a really good starting point for conversation with your doctor,” she says. “Sometimes when someone is feeling unwell and they go to their doctor it can be quite difficult to explain what’s wrong, but if you are aware of the FESTIVAL symptoms and can refer to them stating the ones you think you have – or that people close to you think you have – that’s a really good starting point for conversation with GPs. Say: ‘I’ve noticed that….’
“With Seasonal Affective Disorder talking about the pattern is important too, as in ‘the same thing happened me this time last year’.”
Treatment
Everybody’s treatment is individual and very much depends on how somebody is presenting (how they are when they visit the doctor), she says.
“The GP will probably do blood tests if the person is presenting with depression for the first time. That is to eliminate underlying physical causes for feeling like that – underactive thyroid for example. Overall, treatment would depend on the individual’s medical history – the whole picture.”
Treatment could include medication, talk therapies, changes in lifestyle or a combination of two or three of these.
“It would depend on how severe your symptoms are, if you’ve had this kind of depression before and how it was managed then. No one size fits all,” she adds.
Tip – keep a mood diary
Keeping a daily mood diary is a good tip that can be a great help in noticing patterns in your mental health, she points out.
“You will be able to see if a pattern is forming as you look back over the pages. You don’t have to be good at writing, the diary doesn’t have to be complicated and no one has to see it – just jot down a few notes each night about how you felt that day.”
How AWARE can help
“People come to us at various stages of their condition and our message is that recovery is possible,” Brid says.
You can ring the AWARE support line on 1800-804 848 (Monday to Sunday, 10am-10pm). You can also email AWARE for support via supportmail@aware.ie.
Life skills programme to support you
Education programmes are also part of the AWARE service and its LIFE SKILLS programme is one that people who have never been diagnosed with depression or anxiety are using to stay well, Brid O’Meara states.
“The LIFE SKILLS programme, which will be running again for six weeks – an hour and a half a week for those with mild to moderate depression – from the week beginning 5 November in 31 centres around the country, was designed for people with mild to moderate depression or anxiety. The programme is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles.
What we’re finding now is that as well as people who have mild or moderate depression, we have a lot of people coming who don’t have a diagnosis of depression or anxiety who are coming to learn the skills so that they can prevent this. Or maybe they had some experience of anxiety, but it never warranted going to a doctor and they want to figure out a way of managing it themselves.”
CBT principles very useful to know
Everyone should understand CBT, she believes.
“It teaches people to understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings and actions and how they can impact each other – how what we think impacts what we do, but also what we do impacts what we think and feel. CBT can be really beneficial.”
AWARE’s Life Skills programmes are available as group programmes. Or you can do the course online in your own time under the same tab on the website. Are you supporting someone who has depression of bipolar mood disorder? AWARE also runs a relatives and friends programme for family members/friends. For all of this, see the ‘Education’ tab on the homepage of aware.ie
Six tips for coping with SAD from Mental Health Ireland. As well as seeing your GP, keep these tips in mind:1 Maximise your exposure to daylight. Make your house brighter. Sit near a window at work.2 Engage in activities that you enjoy. 3 Practice healthy habits – exercise, balanced diet, limit caffeine and alcohol and reduce stress.4 Take all medicines as directed. 5 Consider light therapy*. 6 Watch for early signs that SAD is getting worse. If you suffer from severe winter depression, consult your GP immediately. A qualified healthcare provider can help determine if your symptoms are related to SAD or may have another cause.Light therapy involves sitting by a special lamp called a lightbox, usually for around 30 minutes to an hour each morning. This simulates the light that’s missing during the winter months. Does light therapy work? There’s mixed evidence about the overall effectiveness. Some studies have found it to be effective, particularly if used first thing in the morning. It’s thought that light therapy is best for producing short-term results. Please talk to your GP first about your suitability for light therapy, the HSE says.
A pattern – that’s what you’re looking for when it comes to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Depression has many causes so SAD isn’t always easy to diagnose, but if you’ve noticed your mood lowering each autumn and that you have a burst of energy again when spring kicks in you may have SAD.
While this disorder is not fully understood, it is thought to be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the winter months. So how exactly does this affect some people?
Experts say that the amount of sunlight we get may affect some of the chemicals and hormones in our brain. One theory is that light stimulates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus – which controls mood, appetite and sleep. When daylight hours are reduced in winter, then some people’s mood, appetite and sleep patterns can be negatively affected.
The production of the hormones serotonin and melatonin are also affected, and the person’s circadian rhythm (the psychological process that regulates the body’s internal clock) is affected. The impact of this? The lack of melatonin results in sleepiness and a lack of energy. The lack of serotonin, which is also a neurotransmitter, means that messages between nerve cells are not being transmitted effectively. The end result is low mood.
Brid O’Meara, director of services at AWARE, the mental health support organisation, says that SAD can affect some people in summer too.
“Often people think Seasonal Affective Disorder is very much about the winter months, but that’s not necessarily the case. Generally, it is more noticeable in September and March – those two times when the light and the seasons are changing. Seasonal can also mean in the summer too and some people will experience their mood being low at that time. Depression is seasonal if people experience low mood at that time of year, every year – and feel well for the rest of the year,” she says.
Seasonal Affective Disorder isn’t a unique mood disorder, she says.
“It’s not necessarily a stand-alone condition but it’s often recognised within depression.”
So what are the symptoms of SAD?
“The symptoms are very similar to depression. In AWARE we talk about the eight symptoms of depression – we use the acronym FESTIVAL to make them easier to remember.
Feeling – sad, anxious, guilty.
Energy – low energy, feeling tired or fatigued.
Sleeping – under or over-sleeping, disrupted sleep or any change to normal sleep pattern.
Thinking – poor concentration, thoughts slowed down.
Interest – loss of interest in hobbies, family or social life.
Value – low self-esteem.
Aches – physical aches and pains with no physical basis.
Life – loss of interest in living, thinking about death, suicidal thoughts.
“People experiencing depression – seasonal or otherwise – may experience all these symptoms,” she says. “They lose interest in things they normally enjoy. For some people it can be food, sometimes friends. People would also notice that their confidence would drop. Others might experience aches and pains, they might feel it somatically, ie in their bodies. There is the concern, of course, that when people’s mood is low that they may lose interest in living and have thoughts or plans around suicide. It is important to remember that any depressive disorder, including Seasonal Affective Disorder, can be severe.”
Go to your GP if you have five or more symptoms
How do you know you have this type of depression? AWARE advises seeing your GP immediately if you have had five of the above FESTIVAL symptoms for more than two weeks.
“If you have them, the change in your mood will be absolutely impacting on your life,” Brid says. “It’s important to understand that depression isn’t always about feeling sad but that it impacts every aspect of your life – your relationships, your friendships, your interests, your hobbies, your thoughts systems, your energy, your feelings and your sleep.”
Sleep pattern changing often first sign
A change in sleep patterns, Brid knows from people who use AWARE support services, is very often the first thing that people notice going awry when SAD or depression kick in.
“We are talking about any alteration in your sleep – it could be undersleeping, oversleeping or disrupted sleep – something that’s different for you.”
Use F-E-S-T-I-V-A-L to start conversation
Brid O’Meara suggests bringing up the eight FESTIVAL symptoms in your conversation with your GP.
“They are a really good starting point for conversation with your doctor,” she says. “Sometimes when someone is feeling unwell and they go to their doctor it can be quite difficult to explain what’s wrong, but if you are aware of the FESTIVAL symptoms and can refer to them stating the ones you think you have – or that people close to you think you have – that’s a really good starting point for conversation with GPs. Say: ‘I’ve noticed that….’
“With Seasonal Affective Disorder talking about the pattern is important too, as in ‘the same thing happened me this time last year’.”
Treatment
Everybody’s treatment is individual and very much depends on how somebody is presenting (how they are when they visit the doctor), she says.
“The GP will probably do blood tests if the person is presenting with depression for the first time. That is to eliminate underlying physical causes for feeling like that – underactive thyroid for example. Overall, treatment would depend on the individual’s medical history – the whole picture.”
Treatment could include medication, talk therapies, changes in lifestyle or a combination of two or three of these.
“It would depend on how severe your symptoms are, if you’ve had this kind of depression before and how it was managed then. No one size fits all,” she adds.
Tip – keep a mood diary
Keeping a daily mood diary is a good tip that can be a great help in noticing patterns in your mental health, she points out.
“You will be able to see if a pattern is forming as you look back over the pages. You don’t have to be good at writing, the diary doesn’t have to be complicated and no one has to see it – just jot down a few notes each night about how you felt that day.”
How AWARE can help
“People come to us at various stages of their condition and our message is that recovery is possible,” Brid says.
You can ring the AWARE support line on 1800-804 848 (Monday to Sunday, 10am-10pm). You can also email AWARE for support via supportmail@aware.ie.
Life skills programme to support you
Education programmes are also part of the AWARE service and its LIFE SKILLS programme is one that people who have never been diagnosed with depression or anxiety are using to stay well, Brid O’Meara states.
“The LIFE SKILLS programme, which will be running again for six weeks – an hour and a half a week for those with mild to moderate depression – from the week beginning 5 November in 31 centres around the country, was designed for people with mild to moderate depression or anxiety. The programme is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles.
What we’re finding now is that as well as people who have mild or moderate depression, we have a lot of people coming who don’t have a diagnosis of depression or anxiety who are coming to learn the skills so that they can prevent this. Or maybe they had some experience of anxiety, but it never warranted going to a doctor and they want to figure out a way of managing it themselves.”
CBT principles very useful to know
Everyone should understand CBT, she believes.
“It teaches people to understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings and actions and how they can impact each other – how what we think impacts what we do, but also what we do impacts what we think and feel. CBT can be really beneficial.”
AWARE’s Life Skills programmes are available as group programmes. Or you can do the course online in your own time under the same tab on the website. Are you supporting someone who has depression of bipolar mood disorder? AWARE also runs a relatives and friends programme for family members/friends. For all of this, see the ‘Education’ tab on the homepage of aware.ie
Six tips for coping with SAD from Mental Health Ireland. As well as seeing your GP, keep these tips in mind:1 Maximise your exposure to daylight. Make your house brighter. Sit near a window at work.2 Engage in activities that you enjoy. 3 Practice healthy habits – exercise, balanced diet, limit caffeine and alcohol and reduce stress.4 Take all medicines as directed. 5 Consider light therapy*. 6 Watch for early signs that SAD is getting worse. If you suffer from severe winter depression, consult your GP immediately. A qualified healthcare provider can help determine if your symptoms are related to SAD or may have another cause.Light therapy involves sitting by a special lamp called a lightbox, usually for around 30 minutes to an hour each morning. This simulates the light that’s missing during the winter months. Does light therapy work? There’s mixed evidence about the overall effectiveness. Some studies have found it to be effective, particularly if used first thing in the morning. It’s thought that light therapy is best for producing short-term results. Please talk to your GP first about your suitability for light therapy, the HSE says.
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