Seasonal affective depression, also known as seasonal depression, is a type of depression that usually happens during certain seasons, mainly in fall and winter. Seasonal depression is more common in places with shorter daylight hours in winter. Although seasonal depression is not something fully understood, it’s linked to reduced exposure to sunlight. Only about 5% of adults in the United States have been diagnosed with seasonal depression but it lasts for about 40% of the year. Even though 5% doesn’t seem like a significant number, we also need to consider who goes undiagnosed and the fact that this lasts for much of the year, truly taking a toll on people’s mental and physical states.
In this article, I want to bring awareness to seasonal depression because it’s something a lot of people, especially students, go through. When I first experienced the symptoms of seasonal depression a few years ago, I honestly did not know what it was. I thought I had just been experiencing increased stress and energy loss because it was wintertime, and finals were right around the corner. However, I realized even after winter break and in the following months, I was still experiencing these symptoms, and I started getting down on myself and began isolating myself, staying in my room, eating a lot some days, and on others barely anything. I didn’t know what to do until I started confiding in my mom, doing research, and taking action steps from there on.
Even today, I still don’t fully understand seasonal depression and why I have it, however, I’ve done things to make dealing with it a lot more manageable. Although some days can seem harder than others, some things that help me feel better are working out. I try to stay consistent in the gym and making the gym a habit gives me something I can look forward to and helps clear my head. Another thing that has helped me is cooking/baking. I would say this is one of my side passions because I love trying new things and seeing what the outcome is at the end. Lastly, another thing that helps is just going outside whether it’s for five minutes or an hour, going outside to walk, do errands, or just sit helps me get fresh air. I make sure I put my technology away too and be present in the moment. Sometimes, it’s hard to get out of bed some days to simply use the bathroom, but I constantly try to remind myself that there are things to look forward to each and every day. I know everyone has different interests and hobbies that motivate them, but I hope sharing this emphasizes that there is always going to be something or someone there for you, whether that’s friends, family, or hobbies such as mine.
Whatever you’re going through just know you’re not alone. It may be difficult to redirect yourself into a more positive path, but you are your strongest advocate and just know that there are resources that can help you during tough times. Don’t wait. Find someone to talk to whether it’s a friend, significant other, or therapist. You are not alone. I hope you all have a great break and please be sure to stay in touch with friends, and families, and do hobbies that create joy in your life!