Winter Blues
Freezing temperatures and shorter days lead many to suffer from what therapists call the “winter blues,” symptoms of depression that affect about 5% of adults in the United States, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
The diagnosis, known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, can strike a much higher number. Health experts believe at least half of Butler County's population get the seasonal blues.
SAD is caused by a series of factors that are outside a person's control: less sunlight, colder temperatures and bad weather all contribute to people feeling the onset of dread and sadness. And with coronavirus restrictions in place, the feeling of social isolation has contributed to an overall increase in depression for many people.
But county health care professionals say that staving off the feeling is well within a person's control.
“We've been under a lot of pressure as a country this year, and people are getting a little bit weary,” said Carol Bose, a licensed clinical social worker with Butler Memorial Hospital. “It's hard in the wintertime when we can't get around and we get bored, isolated, stuck in ruts. And that's the kind of environment primed to develop seasonal affective disorder.”
Bose said that for many who are stuck at home, it's easy to get “stuck in a rut: becoming complacent and not doing what we ought to do to take care of ourselves. One day looks like the next, and people become discouraged. They start to feel bad they're not doing things to improve themselves.”
She said that to compensate, people should make a conscious effort to live the life they want. And building toward that starts with easy things, such as taking a vitamin D supplement, going for walks and being proactive about staying engaged.
“We can't base our behavior on how we feel,” she said. “We have to base it on our goals and what we want to accomplish. Sometimes in the winter months, we don't feel particularly motivated. It's cold outside. People find themselves sleeping longer and moving less. And that contributes a lot to getting down in the dumps.”Abigail Schlessinger, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry for UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, also noted that a changing sleep cycle in which a person is awake at night and asleep during the day can be harmful.“In some ways, it's quite basic,” Schlessinger said. “As humans we need light, specifically sunlight, and when we don't get it, (that) hurts our emotions.“Some people think it's not a full-blown depression, but it is,” she said.In the winter, she said, it's important to treat sunlight like the limited commodity it is, and to get out as much as possible.“For people who have a history of depression, the best thing to do is get outside on sunny days,” Schlessinger said. “People who are severely depressed will stay inside, creating what we call an eternal winter.”To counteract the limited sunlight, Schlessinger said people could use lamps that provide full-spectrum sunlight with 10,000 lux brightness.Lux is Latin for “light,” a measurement of light intensity. According to several lighting experts, in-home lighting ranges from 100 to 300 lux. Closer to sunlight is 10,000 lux.Schlessinger noted that seasonal depression is like any form of depression, and could benefit from therapy and medication. Early action can help people get out of a depression cycle.Once depression starts, it can take on a life of its own and continue throughout the summer, Schlessinger said.“That's why prevention is so important,” she added.Schlessinger said it's imperative to stay away from drugs and alcohol and maintain a normal sleep cycle.“It's important to get up with the sun, so you don't get what we call phase-reversed,” she said. “A lot of teens, especially during COVID-19, call themselves night owls, staying up all night and sleeping in all day. And if they have a risk for depression, they're more at risk of it getting bad and more trouble getting rid of it.”She said that because of the coronavirus, it might be harder for people to maintain their support network of friends and family, but using light therapy and keeping active can help.“There's no magic-bullet solution,” Schlessinger said. “It's a combination of things specific to that particular person. We shouldn't blame people for having depression. Everybody is a little different. Doing the best in your life can look different from what your friend or partner is doing, so don't compare yourself to other people.”Schlessinger said that if those who think they are suffering from SAD might need help, talk to someone about it.“Don't ignore that feeling,” she said. “Ask people in your support network to see what they've noticed. Opening that line of communication for mental health reduces stigma around it.”Randal Harris, a psychologist with Wellness Works Counseling in Butler, said that seasonal affective disorder can worsen other mental health issues.“The pandemic has been extraordinarily difficult for a number of people: domestic abuse, child abuse,” Harris said.“When human beings aren't allowed to be around other human beings, it takes a negative turn. And with winter, all these issues increase,” he said.He said his practice and the schedule for his colleagues are full this year.“It's been a busy year for mental health,” Harris said. “Our therapists are busier now than this time last year. We're like plants, except with legs: we need the sun.”
