By Staff Writer: Cyrena Nielsen
As the weather become colder and days feel like they become shorter, people find warm shelter inside their homes. With limited access to bright sunny days and outdoor adventures, it’s easy to slip into depression. This term is coined SAD, as fitting acronym for Seasonal Affective Disorder. While this is common throughout the world, we hear it more often in the northern part of the country, where overcast days are the norm.
SAD is more than the lazy feeling you get while bundling up on the couch during a snowstorm. It has symptoms such as mood swings and insomnia, which are common symptoms for any depressive disorder. While it’s an uncomfortable experience, it is treatable and it’s vital to stay on top of self-care to ensure SAD doesn’t expand into the Spring and Summer months.
On an episode of Broad City, one of the main characters begins to exhibit symptoms of SAD and we witness her try all the different treatments to get some relief. In one scene, Ilana covers a room in tinfoil with a bright light to mimic the sun. A more formal way of doing this is through Light Therapy. SAD lamps are available to anyone without a doctor’s appointment and has been proven to be a great treatment for those who are not interested in taking medications during the gloomy seasons.
Other treatments include exercising as much as you can indoors, therapy and pharmaceuticals. Usually, to overcome any form of depression, you must try several treatment options to get the most benefits out of all of them. Luckily, SAD is becoming less taboo with
younger generations moving past stigmas to live fulfilling lives. As we move to kick off November, now is the perfect time to have treatments on standby if needed.