Ah, winter in Michigan – where Mother Nature can deliver one day that’s sunny with temps in the 50s, and a no good, horrible ice storm the next.

Is it any wonder that, at best, many of us get the “winter blues,” while others struggle mightily with the more severe affliction commonly known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

One OUWB professor is doing something about it, recently offering insight into who develops SAD, what causes it, and how to treat SAD.

“Seasonal affective disorder: Etiology, symptomatic and prevention of an underestimated common condition,” was presented by Changiz Mohiyeddini, Ph.D., professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies, and director of Behavioral Medicine and Psychopathology.

“Human cognition, emotion, and behavior show seasonal patterns,” said Mohiyeddini, in introducing SAD.

SAD ‘among the most undiagnosed’

Technically, the diagnosis is “major depressive disorders with seasonal pattern.” More commonly known as SAD, it was first described in 1984, and “not considered to be a separate and unique mood disorder, but rather to be a specific of major depressive disorder.”

Symptoms of depression include: feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day; losing interest in activities that were once enjoyed; experiencing changes in appetite or weight; having problems with sleep; low energy; feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness; difficulty concentrating; and/or frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

Mohiyeddini noted that SAD is not limited to the winter, and that it can affect many in the summer.

In addition to the typical symptoms of depression, those affected by SAD in the winter also may experience: oversleeping; weight gain/change in hunger; overeating with a particular craving for carbohydrates; awkward feelings in the arms and legs; and increased social anxiety.

To be diagnosed with SAD, a person must have symptoms of major depression, and have depressive episodes during specific seasons for at least two consecutive years.

Mohiyeddini said it’s believed that more than 10% of people in the U.S. have SAD, but noted it is “among the most undiagnosed” conditions, and that the number could be higher.

No one knows exactly why people get SAD, but research points to abnormal responses to low environmental light levels in winter; reduced activity of serotonin; production of too much melatonin; vitamin D deficiencies; and generally having negative thoughts and feelings about winter and its associated limitations.

‘Change our thought pattern’

Mohiyeddini suggests several ways to treat SAD exist.

The first, he said, is light therapy. Specifically, the recommendation is for exposure to light that is at least 10,000 lux for 20-30 minutes. The light should be no more than 24 inches from a person’s face and the eyes should remain open, but not looking directly at the light.

“The impact is better when we expose ourselves right after awaking,” said Mohiyeddini.  

Physicians also may treat SAD with medication. Buproprion XL (branded as Wellbutrin XL) has U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the indication of SAD. Mohiyeddini said studies have shown the drug to be effective.

Nutritional supplements of vitamin D also may be helpful in treating SAD, he said.

“Many, many people have vitamin D deficiency, even if they don’t have symptoms,” said Mohiyeddini.

Another option is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-SAD), which is aimed at helping people learn how to cope with difficult situations.

Essentially, CBT-SAD focuses on replacing negative thoughts related to winter season with more positive thoughts.

CBT-SAD also uses a process called behavioral activation, which helps individuals identify and schedule pleasant, engaging activities (both indoor and outdoor) to combat the loss of interest they typically experience in the winter.

It’s believed to be as effective as light therapy.

“It isn’t that winter causes issues…it’s the way we think about it,” said Mohiyeddini. “The idea is to change our thought pattern; the impact of winter might be different.”

The bottom line?

As debilitating as SAD might seem, there are ways to deal with it — but it’s up to each person to do so.

“You are the best, and often the only, guardian of your own mental health and well-being,” said Mohiyeddini. “If you expect that someone else will take care of your health and well-being, that is probably risky behavior.”

If you are in a crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

To schedule an appointment with OUWB Student Mental Health Counselors Janae Kinn or Ashley Watters, call the OU Counseling Center at 248-370-3465.

For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at [email protected].

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.