Seasonal affective disorder commonly known as seasonal depression is a disorder that causes depression during specific seasons throughout the year.  

      As for students on our own campus senior Alison Grafton weighed in and explained how SAD is “depression due to seasons changing.” Junior Tate Gerringer described his own definition of seasonal depression “people getting sadder in the winter because you’re stuck inside.”

     When asked if our student body thinks seasonal depression is real Jessica Gerheardt added “It’s definitely real, but I also think we all feed off of each other, and a lot of us are waiting for break and feel unmotivated and sad because of that.”

     Grafton feels as though people often feel depressed in Winter because “it’s darker outside and colder making people want to stay inside.”

      As reported by American Family Physician, 10 million Americans experience SAD during either the fall and winter seasons or during the spring and summer months. 

     Typically, seasonal depression will last roughly 40% percent of the year. During this time people can expect to feel the full effects of depression. 

     Unlike Bipolar depression SAD begins taking a toll on people around the same time every year, making it easier to treat and manage.  

     According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most victims of sad experience it during the winter season. 

     The Mayo Clinic explains that people often experience an intense lack of energy and irritability. However, there are treatments for SAD. 

     One kind of treatment for SAD is light therapy (phototherapy), medications and psychotherapy.

     According to Mayo Clinic in order to help achieve good health during these dark and dreary months it is important not to “brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the “winter blues” or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own.” 

     It is often reported that symptoms may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses. These symptoms may include trouble sleeping (insomnia), poor appetite, weight loss, agitation or anxiety. 

     Although these statistics are taken on a national scale, during an interview with guidance counselor Jeanne Heinze states that “during the holiday season and winter months the traffic in the guidance office definitely increases.”

     She added that “this also has to do with things that have to do school and not strictly emotions, we see a lot more kids coming in about college.”  

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