SAD, depression not linked, but symptoms similar

It’s a common feeling. \nIt’s the feeling of not wanting to get out of bed because of the cold weather. It’s looking outside the window and seeing snow on the ground. To most people, this feeling is the normal winter blues. To some, these feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation get in the way of living a normal life. \nDepression and seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression or SAD, can be hard to differentiate, said Gregory Demas, assistant professor of biology at IU. The transition from fall to winter for people who suffer from SAD can be quite debilitating, he said. \n“A lot of the time someone will get depressed around Christmas, because maybe they recently lost a loved one,” Demas said. “Yes, it is in the winter and has to do with the season, but it is not actually seasonal affective disorder.”\nNancy Stockton, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at IU, said symptoms of depression and SAD can be very similar.\nIrritability, overeating and excessive sleeping are just a few of the many symptoms of SAD.\n“You need to look for a certain seasonal pattern of depression,” said Dr. James Rebeta, assistant professor of psychology and psychiatry at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College in New York City. \nAround a half a million people in the U.S. have SAD, and it is more common in women than men, according to the American Academy of Family Physician Web site. SAD occurs when people have a lack of serotonin in their body. It is also related to an increase of melatonin, which is produced in dim lighting. With shorter daylight hours and less sun, people with SAD start to show symptoms, according to the American Psychiatric Association Web site. \nRebeta said a lot of the time, doctors will diagnose someone with the disorder later on in life because they need to observe recurring depression. \n“People who are older are less likely to consider themselves depressed since they came from a generation where being depressed was a negative thing,” he said. “The same thing goes for younger children, since at a young age children have a harder time trying to express themselves. Parents wonder, ‘what’s wrong with my child?’”\nPeople with SAD do not have to wait until the warm weather to feel better. Light becomes a magical drug, Stockton said. She said one of the most commonly-used treatments is light therapy. \nRebeta said it is not the seasonal depression doctors first try to treat, it is the symptoms. Depending on how bad the symptoms are, doctors will use either lights or medication. Light treatment will work for some people, where others might need medication that will work faster.