Depending on where you live, January can be difficult for those struggling with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Believe it or not, many individuals develop SAD and might not recognize that that's what they're experiencing. As daylight hours become shorter and the nights grow longer, more people can become isolated and experience symptoms of depression.
SAD can be exceptionally difficult for those already coping with depression. For them, SAD may exacerbate their current symptoms and lead them down a rabbit hole of other debilitating mental disorders—perhaps even addiction.
Learning more about this disorder can guard against its potential dangers. In addition to going through the darkest days of your life, the darkest times of your life may be approaching. If you're seeing treatment or are in recovery, remember that your struggles with SAD may impact this journey. Nevertheless, treatment is accessible, recovery is possible, and NorthStar Transitions can help you today.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), SAD involves mood changes during different seasons, usually in the winter. Some examples include:
On average, SAD symptoms manifest in late fall or early winter and end around spring or summer. There on also cases where individuals experience depression in the summer. Depressive symptoms in the winter are referred to as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression, and depressive symptoms during the summer are called summer-pattern SAD or summer depression, according to the NIMH.
Recognizing the signs of SAD can help you determine if you have this relatively common condition.
Despite sharing characteristics with depression, SAD is a distinct disorder with a separate diagnosis. Symptoms typically last only four to five months of the year, but seasonal depression mimics many symptoms associated with major depression.
Signs of major depression, according to the NIMH, include:
In addition to major depressive symptoms, winter and summer depression are similar. Individuals with winter-pattern SAD may experience hypersomnia, overeating, weight gain, and social withdrawal. When experiencing summer-pattern SAD, people typically experience insomnia, poor appetite and weight loss, restlessness, anxiety, and episodes of violence.
Individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) are at an increased risk of developing co-occurring mental health disorders. That includes depression and SAD. Therefore, dual diagnosis treatment is vital when diagnosed with more than one mental condition. To recover from addiction, individuals must seek treatment for all conditions involved.
When seeking treatment, individuals should disclose to their treatment team if they have a prior diagnosis like SAD. It can impede the treatment process if one's care plan does not accommodate such complications. Just as one would with depression or anxiety, being transparent about mental health with a treatment facility is crucial if they are to help one through treatment.
Suppose an individual has not been previously diagnosed with a mental health disorder but feel they have symptoms related to one. In that case, their treatment team may be able to achieve a proper diagnosis and incorporate treatment for mental health as well as addiction into their treatment plan.
Professional help is an excellent way to learn to manage SAD symptoms. For example, talk therapy is an excellent tool. Discussing one's feelings may be enough to alleviate or manage symptoms. If not, there are plenty of other options.
Some therapists may find it best to refer some individuals to a specialist. A psychiatrist, for example, can prescribe medications to help with depressive symptoms, or a holistic practitioner may teach helpful and natural tools to cope with SAD. For example, self-care can be an excellent tool in battling SAD.
Some self-care practices to try during the winter include:
These are just a few ways to practice self-care during the winter. Each person's self-care regimen can look like whatever they want it to. One must simply experiment with different things and see what works best.
For anyone struggling with SUD or SAD, treatment can help. However, for a successful recovery, treatment must encompass all known struggles. To learn more or seek help, consider contacting NorthStar Transitions today.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is common and typically lasts four to five months out of the year. Similar to major depression, symptoms vary depending on the person and pattern. For example, individuals commonly experience symptoms during the winter, but it is possible to experience symptoms during spring and summer. Managing symptoms is possible through talk therapy, self-care practices, and medication if necessary. At NorthStar Transitions, we offer many care options to make a diagnosis, treatment, and lasting recovery as effective as possible. Our customized treatment plans make recovery personal to each individual, regardless of their diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. To learn more or inquire about addiction treatment, call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400.
