To few people's surprise, apart from first-year Colgate students, winters in Hamilton can be pretty tough. When temperatures start to teeter under freezing and the sun is tucked away for longer, we are at greater risk for developing Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Someone experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder might report feeling "down" or moving through their "winter blues," but it is important to know that these mood shifts can have a profound effect on one's emotions, behavior, and mood. This article touches on the biological progression of SAD and its symptoms, at-risk groups, and available treatments.
What is SAD, Really?
While the specific causes of SAD are still unknown, and far more research has been done on winter-pattern SAD than summer-pattern SAD, researchers have arrived at a few theories:
- Decreased sunshine during the winter deprives the body of Vitamin D and certain molecules that produce serotonin, the happy hormone.
- Longer periods of darkness affect our production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates our normal sleep-wake cycles. For people with winter-pattern SAD, the brain produces excessive melatonin and therefore causes sleepiness and oversleeping. Those with Summer-pattern SAD might not have enough melatonin and thus become restless.
- Poor quality of sleep can lead to irritability, mood swings, and it puts students at risk for depression and anxiety, so it is important that we recognize what causes SAD and how it might be treated.
Who is at Risk for SAD?
There are a few groups that have an increased likelihood of developing SAD:
- Seasonal Affective Disorder is more common in women than men due to more frequent hormone fluctuations.
- SAD is most common in those who live farther north (as that is where the daylight is shortest in the winter). Due to our location in Hamilton, New York, we are more predisposed to developing SAD than someone in Texas or southern California. However, people who come from seasonless places are also likely to experience SAD!
- SAD is also more likely to afflict people who are living with depression or bipolar disorders, since the changing seasons can exacerbate their existing symptoms (especially if those symptoms are episodic).
- Those with other mental disorders, such as ADHD, eating disorders, anxiety, or panic disorders, are more likely to experience SAD for many of the same reasons listed above.
How is SAD Treated?
The three main methods of treating SAD are light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy, and medications. Talking to a licensed professional about your symptoms (including but not limited to: losing interest in activities, sadness, low energy, hopelessness, and difficulty focusing) is the best way to tackle SAD and is the best route to accessing the other two treatments. At Colgate, Counseling and Psychological Services (located in Conant House) has a wide selection of strictly confidential services that you can register for through your Wellness Portal:
- Group therapy
- 1-1 therapy (if walk-in hours don't fit your schedule, they will make time for you!)
- Psychiatry
- And much more!
Takeaways
The sky over Colgate may be getting dark, but there are plenty of opportunities for you to keep your light strong and beaming. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can have serious implications, but it is also common in climates such as Colgate's, so we recommend that you utilize the support systems available to you on campus. All of us at Colgate brave the blizzard together. So, stay warm — and reach out when you think you might need help. There is plenty of warmth to go around.
To contact The Counseling Center: counselingcenter@colgate.edu
To contact Shaw Wellness Institute: wellness@colgate.edu