Have you ever heard of seasonal depression? It is a psychological condition that a person may go through when moving from one season to another. But what are its symptoms, causes and top tips that help treat it? The answers to all these questions you will find in the following lines.
What is seasonal depression?
Seasonal depression, called seasonal affective disorder, is a mental disorder that may affect a person as a result of the transition from one season to another. Symptoms of seasonal depression usually begin in the fall or winter and end in the spring. Seasonal depression can also appear with the advent of summer. This mental disorder often affects women more than men, and rarely affects those under 20 years of age.
Symptoms of seasonal depression
Winter depression symptoms
- Oversleeping
- Overeating
- overweight
- Tension and nervousness
- Negative thoughts appear
summer depression symptoms
- feeling depressed
- difficulty sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Negative thoughts appear
- lack of appetite
- Weight loss
Causes of seasonal depression
It is true that the main causes behind seasonal depression are still not clear and differ from one person to another, but we will tell you in the following about some of the causes that may have a role in each type of seasonal depression.
Winter depression causes
- Low exposure to sunlight and light may be one of the causes of winter depression.
- A disturbance in the hormones serotonin and melatonin in the winter season.
Summer depression causes
- Excessive exposure to sunlight, which affects the biological clock, and thus can cause summer depression.
- Disruption in the hormones serotonin and melatonin may cause seasonal depression.
When should a doctor be consulted?
If the symptoms of seasonal depression negatively affect your daily life, it is best to consult a doctor to help you treat this problem. We also advise you to visit your doctor before seasonal disorder occurs, especially if you know that you will develop depression in the upcoming season, in order to take preventive measures.
Ways to help treat seasonal depression
In addition to resorting to a specialized doctor who may prescribe some medications or other treatments to the patient, some tips that can help treat seasonal depression can be followed, as follows:
- Be sure to be in an atmosphere suitable for seasonal depression, for example, either exposure to light and sun, or being in an air-conditioned place.
- Follow a healthy diet that contains the necessary vitamins such as vitamin E.
- Do regular exercise.
- Do meditation exercises that help you relax.
- Use art therapy, such as listening to music or painting.
- Being with people close to and supportive of you during this period.
The information in this article alone is not sufficient to diagnose a disease/condition, always consult a doctor