Winter Blues Research Paper
Feeling the Winter Blues
Do you ever feel as winter approaches you find it more difficult to wake up in the morning or feel like you start lacking energy to perform everyday activities, and maybe finding it more difficult concentrating on completing daily tasks? Maybe you are not sure what’s causing you to feel down every year when the season changes, it gets colder, and the days get shorter. While many people just go year to year feeling a drop in energy level or depressed around the time the season changes into winter, it could actually be a mood disorder, called “Seasonal Affective Disorder”, or referred to as “SAD” .Between 4%-6% of people in the United States suffer from SAD. Another 10% to 20% may experience a mild form of winter- onset SAD (AAFP), or what’s commonly known as having the winter blues. While this type of depression is seasonal, starting in late fall to early winter, and in most cases, it fades as the weather changes into spring and summer, it can lead to major depression. Also, it is more common among woman than men. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression is a mood disorder …show more content…
And some people will experience symptoms more severe than others. Some common symptoms of winter depression are; a change in appetite, craving sweet or starchy foods, weight gain, a heavy feeling in the arms or legs, drop in energy level, fatigue, a tendency to oversleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, increased sensitivity to social rejection, and avoidance of social situations-not wanting to go out, (AAFP). Many people with SAD report at least one relative with a psychiatric condition, most frequently a severe depressive disorder or alcohol abuse. (NAMI) Also there could be depressing feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts, and a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy. Other symptoms could be insomnia or even morning
Do you ever feel as winter approaches you find it more difficult to wake up in the morning or feel like you start lacking energy to perform everyday activities, and maybe finding it more difficult concentrating on completing daily tasks? Maybe you are not sure what’s causing you to feel down every year when the season changes, it gets colder, and the days get shorter. While many people just go year to year feeling a drop in energy level or depressed around the time the season changes into winter, it could actually be a mood disorder, called “Seasonal Affective Disorder”, or referred to as “SAD” .Between 4%-6% of people in the United States suffer from SAD. Another 10% to 20% may experience a mild form of winter- onset SAD (AAFP), or what’s commonly known as having the winter blues. While this type of depression is seasonal, starting in late fall to early winter, and in most cases, it fades as the weather changes into spring and summer, it can lead to major depression. Also, it is more common among woman than men. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression is a mood disorder …show more content…
And some people will experience symptoms more severe than others. Some common symptoms of winter depression are; a change in appetite, craving sweet or starchy foods, weight gain, a heavy feeling in the arms or legs, drop in energy level, fatigue, a tendency to oversleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, increased sensitivity to social rejection, and avoidance of social situations-not wanting to go out, (AAFP). Many people with SAD report at least one relative with a psychiatric condition, most frequently a severe depressive disorder or alcohol abuse. (NAMI) Also there could be depressing feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts, and a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy. Other symptoms could be insomnia or even morning