As the colder and darker months draw nearer, for some people, this time of year brings more than just excitement about the holiday season.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, about 5% of adults in the U.S. experience seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression or the “winter blues.” QCity Metro spoke with Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Betsy Thompson about the topic and what to know.
Thompson has 17 years of experience in the mental health field. She has worked in the school system, with the juvenile justice population and in a residential facility.
Currently, she serves as the manager of behavioral health services at Teen Health Connection, a medical and behavioral health services provider for adolescents and young adults in the Charlotte region.
Thompson’s responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
What are some misconceptions about seasonal depression?
That everyone feels down when it’s dark outside or those kinds of things. The reality is that it’s more persistent than that. Like, I don’t struggle with seasonal affective disorder— I don’t like it when it gets dark at five o’clock, but I don’t think it interrupts my ability to function, right? People think it’s short-term, but for folks who suffer from SAD or seasonal affective disorder, it’s more than just a passing feeling.
I think the other misconception is sometimes we think about depression or the depression family as, okay, you’re just sad, or you feel hopeless. Still, it also includes things like lower energy, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, difficulty eating, a loss of interest in doing anything, and even psychosomatic things.
Where you might have general body aches or digestive problems, or other physical symptoms that also appear, and so, you know, even feelings of irritability or those kinds of things are also symptoms of seasonal affective disorder as well as depression. And I think sometimes people forget, or they think, “Oh, so, So-and-So is just lazy,” whereas it’s really they’re struggling with something.
What other things contribute to seasonal depression?
I believe some researchers have discovered a distinct level of serotonin in the brain. Also, vitamin D deficiency, because people are getting less sunlight, melatonin can be disrupted. These things might be happening physiologically. If we add the time of year when it is darker and colder, it is also a time of year that can be really stressful for many people, including kids.
They’re just in this rhythm of going back to school. They’re waiting at the bus stop in pitch black, you know, and their circadian rhythms can be disrupted. And then they’re starting the holidays. For many families, holidays can be very stressful for various reasons. And so I think it’s sort of this perfect storm of things, I don’t think anyone can point and say, “Oh, it’s this one thing,” right?
I think it’s just that there are a lot of things at play. Because also, like I said earlier, there’s the question of whether you are more predisposed because you already have anxiety or you already have depression, you know? So I think it can certainly be this, this huge number of things that could contribute.
What tips would you offer to help people manage seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression?
Certainly, trying to get outside whenever possible, especially during daylight hours, is beneficial, particularly for teenagers. Adolescence is a time when structure and routine are really beneficial.
So, trying to keep the same structure, trying to focus on doing things that you enjoy, getting out in the sunlight when you can, you know, trying to eat healthy, get lots of sleep, move your body in whatever way that looks like for you.
There’s also light therapy. For instance, there are light boxes that can help regulate circadian rhythms and improve mood. You can work with your provider to find the best one for you. There are also therapies, medications, and other similar treatments.
If lifestyle changes aren’t working or helping, such as eating well, sleeping, moving your body, and getting outside when possible, it’s obviously harder for teenagers when they’re held captive in school all day. However, even if they can get outside, such as walking between classes or right after school when it’s still daylight, spending a little time outside would be really helpful.
What advice do you have for families experiencing seasonal depression together?
I encourage families to communicate with their teenagers, even if they’re struggling. I don’t know if you’ve ever been around a teenager, but sometimes, parents will say, the best conversations they ever have with their kids are in the car, because the parents are driving, or the kid is driving, and it feels safer for that kid to open up because someone’s not staring right at them.
And so I encourage going on walks together, visiting the park, and doing these things as a family. You can even try to end the day with some gratitude exercises. And even if you aren’t a family that sits down for dinner, but kind of everyone’s in the household, you know, start engaging in, “Hey, what’s one good thing that happened today?”
So, I think that if we make it a family affair, then that way, no one will also feel like they’re going through it alone.