Is Seasonal Depression Real?

LOOK. Cloudy skies over the Seattle skyline. Learn how little sun and cold weather affects people’s feelings. Photo courtesy of Stella Wahanik.

With the weather changing and the daylight hours getting shorter, many people may be experiencing a form of depression commonly known as seasonal depression or the winter blues. Medically known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a fitting acronym, it’s estimated that up to 10% of people living in North America experience SAD, with higher rates for those living in northernmost latitudes as reported by the American Heart Association. The term “seasonal depression” has been floating around social media for a few years, and its legitimacy seems to have been overtaken by the general unpleasant feelings cold and dark climates bring, but it is a very real diagnosable condition that many people experience in their lifetimes.

Although SAD is most prevalent in the winter months, Seasonal Affective Disorder can affect people differently throughout all the seasons. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a person can be diagnosed with SAD if they experience symptoms of major depression that occur seasonally for at least two consecutive years. Seasonal depression is not considered a unique diagnostic, it's more of recurring major depression with a seasonal pattern. This seasonal pattern can be different for everyone.

“My depression impacts me more during the summer, so I guess you could call it seasonal depression, but I think it’s just the surroundings. I don’t like warm weather, and I don’t like when it’s super hot and uncomfortable," a student who wants to remain anonymous stated.

Reasons for people experiencing SAD are different for everyone. In most cases, people experience it in the winter months. This is because of a number of reasons, but researchers theorize a lack of vitamin D could play a role in people’s depression, because low vitamin D levels are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety. People get most of their vitamin D from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, but in the wintertime, especially in northern latitudes, direct sunlight is sparse, and as a result, vitamin D levels may be lower. Vitamin D is important to the brain’s function and can especially impact people already diagnosed with depression.

“I have depression and it affects me. The lack of sun, the bad weather, and the shorter days can make it more difficult" the anonymous student said.

The lack of sun and vitamin D could have a large effect on the development of seasonal depression, because it is an important vitamin that is utilized in the brain’s function.

“Vitamin D receptors located in many tissues are located in the brain specifically in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and substantia nigra. These regions are of extra importance for this research as they are defined in the pathophysiology of depression” a paper by researchers at the Gazi University in Turkey stated.

This is only one possibility as to why seasonal depression may occur, but there are many factors that could go into a person’s development of SAD.

Another reason could be an increased amount of melatonin being produced. It’s been reported by researchers at Athabasca University in Canada that people with SAD may have an overproduction of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that responds to darkness by causing tiredness and sleepiness. As the days become darker, melatonin increases, and people who experience seasonal depression could feel very sleepy most of the time.

“My motivation does decrease in the fall and winter, but I think that’s because I don’t want to do things. I just want to sleep and stuff, and I have noticed this in other students too” the anonymous student reported.

According to the American Heart Association, other symptoms of SAD may include sleeping or eating too much, as well as the symptoms associated with depression like withdrawing from social contact, feeling hopeless, or not being able to focus and not having any energy.

SAD is a type of depression that instills in many people over the winter months, and only affects them during that season. There are many possibilities for why this may occur, but many are still being researched. If you or someone you know is experiencing feelings that they believe to be seasonal depression, reach out to someone. Resources include school counselors, Teen Link (1-866-833-6546), and most healthcare providers.