The SADDEST Time of the Year
The anticipation of the holiday season begins with Christmas decorations going up shortly after Halloween. It is no wonder that each year more of us feel the pressure and stress of the holidays before we even smell turkey. With the increasing pressures of an ever-expanding holiday season, it becomes more difficult to distinguish between the holiday blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—a more serious depression.
"SAD affects women four times more often than men," says Jeff Stumbras, a licensed clinical social worker and licensed marriage and family therapist at Prevea Behavioral Care. "Despite the statistics, we have treated patients from adolescents to the elderly."
Symptoms of SAD
- Generally occurs between September and April, most often from December through January
- Usual onset between 20 to 40 years of age
- Reduced concentration and focus
- Diet changes with a preference for carbohydrates and sweets
- Increased sleep time, but a decrease in restfulness and energy
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Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms often are triggered by your body's reactions to the lack of sunlight. According to the National Mental Health Association, many people respond to phototherapy, which suppresses the brain's secretion of melatonin—a sleep-related hormone produced at increased levels in the dark. Studies show that a one-hour walk in winter sunlight is as effective in fighting SAD symptoms as 2½ hours under bright artificial light.
For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder, call Prevea Behavioral Care at (920) 272-1200.