What comes first to mind when picturing winter or summer? Does summer make you think of ice cream and having fun on beaches whereas winter brings up memories of cold and uninviting scenery? If so, you may be one of the many people diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder- S.A.D. for short. But- the question still lingers- Is Seasonal Affective Disorder real or can people just not handle the cold? Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a real disorder rather it is a growingly recognized characteristic of discomfort with the cold seasons in the indistinctive population. While S.A.D. was long not taken as a serious diagnosis it recently gained attention and a growing amount of scientific papers- such as- "reverse seasonal affective disorder" (3), "seasonal affective disorder in children and adolescents" (9), "seasonal premenstrual syndrome" ( 10), seasonal battering of women (I I) and a “hypothesized seasonal obesity disorder” (12) (All referenced in the attached article) referred to S.A.D. as a citation for seasonal disorders.
So is Seasonal Affective Disorder a valid excuse to be depressed during winter and happy during the summer or is it false ailment that people cling too as an excuse for hating the cold? According to ‘S.A.D or Fad’ the early research that looked more into the disorder were primarily based off psychiatric inpatients. And now the majority of people who are diagnosed with seasonal disorder are those who have bipolar disorder as well and are being treated
Mood disorder covers all types of depression . Some people are prone to suffering depression during winter when the days are shorter. Bipolar disorder is a condition that affects your moods which can change from one extreme to another this can range from a euphoric mania to a deep low depression these highs and lows can be so extreme that they interfere with day to day life
North Dakota is far from the equator, creating long cold winters. Besides making people cold, the decreasing temperatures also have a significant effect on mental illness. Seasonal affective disorder, also known as (SAD) is a psychological condition identified in the 1980s. Seasonal affective disorder effects 4-6 percent of people in the united states. (SAD) affects women 4 times as much as men.
As it continues to get colder, I have an underlying fear that my seasonal depression will return, and I will never be able to escape it. Yes, I am lucky that the coldest it really gets here is around 40 degrees, but I am most definitely not going swimming in December. It will snow, but not to the point where I will be sick of it. People from the south will freak out when it snows, and classes will be canceled. Maybe I didn’t escape the cold completely, but I will no longer live through the dreadful 5 months that make up winter in the north. I get my little taste of winter, and that’s more than enough for
Seasonal depression occurs only at a certain time of the year, usually winter, because the number of daylight hours is lower. Another form of depression is psychotic depression, which is when depression and hallucinations are experienced at the same time. They all have different symptoms and should be approached differently to receive the correct treatment.
In the article “Beating the Winter Blues” the author also explains reasons how winter should be viewed as an unsafe season, in the article the author says”Some people find that
episodes of fall/winter depression alternating with periods of spring/summer euthymia (norma l mood) or hypomania (mild elation and behavioral activation)” (2). There has been much research done to support the SAD and to find effective treatments for the annual malady such as bright light therapy. SAD generally occurs in the winter months, beginning around November and ending around March. People with symptoms of SAD differ from regular depressives in that winter depressive; have fewer suicidal tendencies, a less negative mood, fewer signs of dependency and less self-criticism. Symptoms of SAD include overeating, weight gam,
An episode may psychotic delusions, or hallucinations. Mr. Z had mentioned before that his skin was falling and that his bowels were shutting down even though it was not true. Major depressive disorder is a severe pattern of depression that is disabling (not caused by drugs/medication condition). “This disorder can be categorized as seasonal if it changes with the seasons.” (pg.220) According to Mr. Z’s wife, his depressions have always occurred during the fall and winter.
Major depression covers a few different sub-types of disorders. This article presents basic information regarding a particular form of major depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This type of depression coincides with the changing of seasons, or more specifically, the diminished availability of sunlight during some seasons. Since lack of sunlight exposure seems to play an important part in the manifestation of SAD, it was necessary to explore the importance of sunlight in regards to the disorder. After researching the role of sunlight in individuals with SAD, the next step was to find out how the disorder could be managed. All of this information was
There are generally nine recognized subsets of depression: Major depression results in extreme sadness, hopelessness, lack of energy, irritability, trouble concentrating, changes in sleep or eating habits, feelings of guilt, physical pain, and suicidal thoughts. Dysthymia depression is just an overall low-feeling mood over a long period of time. People can function with Dysthymia depression but it is difficult and in no way ideal. Some symptoms include sadness, trouble concentrating, fatigue, and changes in sleep habits, and appetite. Postpartum depression is characterized by feelings of extreme sadness, fatigue, loneliness, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, and feelings of disconnect from a child after a woman gives birth. This is usually found
Unfortunately, the number of seasonal allergy sufferers is increasing every year. Why? While there is no
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? You are not alone. Luckily, there are changes that can be implemented that can make a huge difference. Don’t believe us? Check out these tips for beating seasonal allergies.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder? Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a psychological disorder caused by the change of season. SAD affects most people in the fall and winter months, although this is not always the case. There are two types of SAD, winter and summer SAD. It is believed, the lack of sunlight in the winter months, to be the cause of winter SAD. According to the author Flaskerud (2012), “Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs in the summer, remits in the fall and winter, and seems to be related to summertime’s intense heat, bright light and long days.” SAD is recurring, coming back annually as the seasons change, causing the individual to fall into a depressive
Out of the three types of influenza, seasonal flu is the one people should know the most about. It is important that people are aware of seasonal flu because when it is flu season people will take precaution. Another reason to know about seasonal flu is that if it goes untreated people could die from it. According to the CDC thousands of people die of seasonal flu every year. Because it's the most common type of flu people should know the symptoms so that they can seek treatment if/when they get the flu. It is something that should just be common knowledge for most
It's a common belief that cold weather weakens human's immune system that makes people more likely get a cold or flu. Surprisingly, there is no scientific data to show that sickness is directly related to being cold since general illnesses are caused by viruses or bacteria. However, some evidence can explain that why people become sick more often in winter.