1 minute read

Seasonal Depression

from The Ahlahasa - December 2022

from The Ahlahasa - December 2022, page 1

Mental Health Minute

By: Staff Writer, Ava Cunningham

As winter approaches quicker than we expect so does the decline of many people’s mental health. With the lack of sun, many people tend to feel more moody and deprived of energy. This lack of energy can lead to less productivity and more negative feelings. Seasonal Affective Disorder (otherwise known as seasonal depression) is an extremely common form of depression that is affected by the changing of seasons. Not only does this occur in the winter and fall seasons but it can happen in the spring and summer as well. Although spring and summer SAD is less common, the symptoms remain relatively the same. These changes in emotions and energy can be caused by your biological clock and levels of serotonin and melatonin in your body. The change of seasons disrupt your body’s balance of these specific things and the amount of sunlight (vitamin D) your body is used to.

Although there is no way to prevent SAD from happening to you there are some ways to manage the symptoms. There are ways that you can predict the start of SAD in your life.

Seasonal depression tends to start at the same time every year, so you can track the time around when it starts and ends. For the winter seasons- light therapy can also be used to replenish the lack of sunlight your body intakes. Therapy is also a good idea for those who need another person to talk to about how they’re feeling.

SAD can have a negative effect on a lot of lives. If you are feeling down and hopeless during this winter season remember that you’re not alone and there are resources that can help you around the school and in our community including: the counseling staff here at ALHS and helplines available online and you can text or call 988 for crisis support.

Information was provided by Mayo Clinic Health System’s website.