Driver Lifestyles
Why Am I So Emotional? A Look at Seasonal Affective Disorder
The chances are probably pretty good that you've felt a little down
over the last few months. How could you not? With the economy's
uncertainty, the knowledge that carriers have been in trouble, the fact
that the per-mile rates haven't recovered in the same way that freight
figures have, it's totally understandable. That said, there's another
perfectly reasonable explanation for that malaise you might be just now
finding yourself climbing your way out of: Seasonal Affective Disorder.
It's
something you might have experienced before: depression and/or
emotional fluctuations that appear to change with the seasons. The
Mayo Clinic's admittedly simple definition of SAD reads, "Seasonal
affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that
occurs at the same time every year." You'll notice that this
definition doesn't lock a person into fall or winter as their "time" to
be depressed; the Mayo Clinic says that, while it's not particularly
common, that SAD can happen in spring or summer, as well.
SAD
goes beyond a simple case of the "Winter blues." It's marked by a
number of symptoms that you'd expect to see with depression: anxiety,
feelings of hopelessness, weight gain, oversleeping, a loss of interest
in things you typically enjoy, and a general loss of energy. Now, it's
normal to have days where you feel down from time to time, but if
you're feeling down for days at a time and are having a hard time
motivating yourself to do the things that you'd normally do on a
day-to-day basis, you might think about seeing your doctor.
The
causes of SAD are generally unknown, although it's likely that there
are multiple factors that contribute to its incidence, such as
genetics, age, and the individual's chemical makeup. SAD seems to
occur more often in women, people who live farther from the equator,
and in people who have had a family history of depression and instances
of seasonal affective disorder.
The American Psychiatric
Association notes that SAD isn't just a standalone disorder, but rather
a signifier of a larger pattern of depression that they refer to as an
example of Major Depressive Episodes. The difference between SAD and,
say, other types of depressive episodes, is that SAD occurs at specific
times of the year, where other episodes tend not to be associated with
seasonal changes in any way. A SAD diagnosis is reasonably specific,
as well, and must meet four criteria: depressive episodes during a
particular season (fall/winter or spring/summer); remission also occurs
during a particular season; a pattern showing that these symptoms have
lasted two years with no unrelated depressive episodes during that same
period; finally, these seasonal episodes should outnumber other
depressive episodes throughout the patient's lifetime.
According
to the Mayo Clinic, the treatments for SAD are varied both in
methodology and seriousness. They can include light therapy,
medications, and psychotherapy. In light therapy, which is also known
as phototherapy, the doctor will prescribe a specially made light box
or visor. The light devices are intended to be a surrogate for
sunlight, which wouldn't typically be as available during the Fall and
Winter months. Typical usage calls for 30 minutes or so of exposure to
the light provided by the device until Springtime, when more sunlight
is available.
Phototherapy may not work for everyone, and
lots of folks seem to find it inconvenient to use, since it's essential
to set aside time for the treatment and some well-known side effects
are eye strain, headaches,fatigue, and irritability. If you are taking
certain drugs that make your skin more sensitive you light,
phototherapy may not be for you, either--too much exposure to these
lights can prove to be rough on you.
There are also a number
of different antidepressant drugs that are used for SAD that seem to
help; most treatment schedules I was able to find seem to combine light
therapy with drugs, ionized air therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy
or supplementation of the hormone melatonin to combat its ill effects.
While results will obviously vary from person to person, the
most important thing to note is that if you're depressed in a way that
goes beyond just having a case of "the blues," seeing a doctor is your
best bet. Your honesty with your doctor in cases like this are
paramount; without a clear idea of your specific situation with respect
to SAD (should you be diagnosed with it), it'll be difficult for your
doctor to prescribe you the correct treatment or treatments--and since
SAD is often just a signifier of a larger issue, you owe it to yourself
and your loved ones to ensure that you're well taken care of.
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/depression/267.html