Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

Winter Depression

Hey there, hope you all are fine and warm. Winter has arrived and it’s that time of the year when we will be hearing ‘Jingle Bells’, spotting Santa on the streets and exchanging the last gifts for 2019. Everyone loves this season for the cold sunlight and cosy sleeping environment. As there are two sides of every coin, so does winter! Unknown to masses, these cold months trigger ‘Winter Depression’.

What is it?

Ever heard of it? Nope? It is a subset of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). People going through it have general mental health throughout the year but show depressive symptoms during a particular part of the year. At world level, this disorder has most cases during winter so ‘Winter Depression’ a subset has been made.

Signs and Symptoms

 To be officially diagnosed with it, a person should be having following depressive episodes during winter months for at least a couple of years, these include; 

• being hopeless or feeling worthless 
• losing interest in activities that the person used to enjoy
• having sleeping problems
• experiencing fluctuations in your appetite or weight
• feeling lethargic or restless. 

These are the factors that are internal and being felt by the sufferers. Their peers can notice social withdrawal or denial. Sufferer won’t be hanging out much and will prefer to stay indoors only. Even suicidal tendencies are part of the symptoms.

Causes

The actual cause for it is still unknown and being disputed by the doctors. It is believed to be mainly caused by reduced sunlight. Serotonin levels drop heavily which triggers depression. Another widely accepted cause is a change in Melanin levels. This happens due to shifts in seasons. Still, researches are being undertaken to find its proper cause. Reduced sunlight is accepted by most doctors and health institutions.

Other factors include family history and year-long depression (it gets worse during winter).

• Light Therapy

As reduced sunlight is one of the most accepted cause, light therapy is used to cure this type of depression. Doctors criticise the natural sunlight treatment, as it will require for the patient to be in direct contact with sunlight for 30-60 mins on each day of therapy. The machine emitting light in the image is called Lightbox. It emits bright light at 10000 lux, blue light at 2500 lux (480nm wavelength), green light at 350 lux (500 nm wavelength). Patients are asked to sit 30-60 cm away from the lightbox without staring at them.

• Medication

Rich Vitamin D foods are advised to be added in the meals, as far as medicines are concerned please consult a doctor, they will prescribe you according to your health and body structure.

• Other Treatments

Some patients after check-ups can be put simultaneously under light therapy and medication. Negative air ionization which involves releasing charged particles in the sleep environment is effective. Physical exercise is also beneficial. 

So, this winter lookout for any behavioral changes in people you regularly meet with. It’s not only about winter depression but a friend or a family member might need your support too! (Note: Please don’t conclude anything according to your perceived symptoms, and never take medications without consulting a doctor, ever!)