Winter Can Make You SAD

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” — John Steinbeck

It’s easy to write off seasonal depression as fake science. That’s until nicer weather finally comes around and you feel like you’ve taken a happy pill. This scenario is exactly what is happening to us at ETS. The weather is getting nicer and the days are getting longer. With the positive changes in mood, we want to take the time to both appreciate the Spring to come but also reflect on the exiting winter.

Technically, seasonal depression is referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Someone had a sense of humor, as the abbreviation for this is “SAD”. The signs and symptoms of SAD include those associated with depression and can either be winter-based or summer-based¹. This is not the same as the “holiday blues”, which is considered to be based on anxiety or stress only around a holiday, not a season. Individuals at the highest risk for SAD tend to be female, younger, live far from the equator, and have family histories of depression². The good news is for most people it doesn’t last the entire season, with only 5% of U.S. adults clinically experiencing SAD³. For some, it can be extremely severe, so be aware and seek professional help if necessary.

It’s normal for people to feel a little worse in the winter. Even though it’s uncommon to have clinical SAD, most people admit to having some symptoms of it. Take the turning of the season to reflect in two directions: forwards and backwards. What could you have done better this winter to have enjoyed it more? Maybe plan to incorporate light therapy or more fires into winter next year⁴. Put in reminders for yourself; winter will be here again before we know it. Then look forward. Take time to really appreciate the longer days and warmer weather once they arrive. Do something outside every day. It’s a great time to be grateful for the coming season.

Action: Reflect on winter and the coming Spring. What can you improve to enjoy both more?

Further Reading:

1. Seasonal Affective Disorder
2. Seasonal Affective Disorder: An Overview of Assessment and Treatment Approaches
3. Winter is coming. Here’s how to spot — and treat — signs of seasonal depression
4. Shining a light on winter depression