How shorter days trigger seasonal depression

Many people enjoy the grey skies and shorter days, but for some, the approach of winter opens the door to a full-blown illness: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), writes salute.eu, CE Report quotes ATA.

“In many cases, it is a mild symptom, the so-called ‘winter blues,’ which does not have a major impact on daily life,” explains Ylenia Barone, psychiatrist and psychotherapist at the Department of Psychiatry of Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan.

And in such cases, perhaps we can try to appreciate the positive aspects of the cold season, that atmosphere so beloved by Scandinavians, created by aromatic herbal teas and soft blankets.

But SAD itself is a disease, “a seasonal depression also classified in the DSM-5, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” the psychiatrist continues.

SAD occurs when the disorder manifests for at least two consecutive years as winter approaches — unaffected by external factors, as can happen with other forms of depression — and then goes into remission with the arrival of warmer weather.

“The symptoms are also classic signs of depression, such as hypersomnia, increased appetite with a tendency to consume mostly carbohydrates, social withdrawal, and irritability,” explains Barone.