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Everyone recognizes spring fever, the giddiness that lifts the spirits as the short, dark days of winter become the longer, sunnier days of spring. But, have you ever noticed the decrease of energy during the fall and winter month? Doctors first noticed this opposite, annual winter depression, 150 years ago, but the condition remained a theory until the early 1980 s, when researchers began linking the darkening of peoples winter moods to the lack of sunlight from November through March. Today, this condition is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression brought about by shortened days and decreased sunlight during the winter season.
The symptoms of SAD, which occur every winter like clockwork, include lack of energy, increased desire for sleep (especially during the day), larger appetite and weight gain. Back in the late 70 s, Neal Owens was a petroleum salesman with an odd problem. Every spring and summer, he remembers, I was my companys top salesman. But come fall and winter, my sales fell to last place. Owens boss accused him of goofing off each year around the holidays, but Owens insisted that he was not. I just seemed to lose my get up and go in winter.
Owens thought that at first he was sick, so he went to see his doctor. His doctor ran many tests, but the results all came out normal. Owens wound up seeing a psychiatrist, who diagnosed depression, and prescribed various stimulants and antidepressants. They helped, but Owens still felt out of it. One day in 1982, Owens saw a television show about depression. It talked about the study of a new kind of depression, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, that struck people around the same time every winter, and caused other symptoms, like winter weight gain and the desire for sleep.
Hey, thats me, Owens thought. As his mood darkened each year, his weight climbed by 20 pounds, and as his depression lifted each spring, he lost the weight. He also found himself coming home after work and needing a nap to help finish the day. Owens belief that he had SAD was absolutely correct. His symptoms matched those found in the definition of SAD. Now that he knew the cause of his sales drought during the winter, his mind was at ease.
Knowing the meaning of SAD was important because it helped the doctors diagnose Owens with the correct form of depression and helped them know how to treat his condition. Seasonal Affective Disorder can affect anyone. Carl, a freshman at The University of Oklahoma, started off the first half of the semester with As in all of his classes. He also held down a 30 hr / week job when not studying. About the time the weather turned cold, around the third week in November, Carl's roommate started to notice a change in him. The first major change was the fact that Carl had quit his job.
His excuse for quitting was that he did not have enough time to work and study. This was a valid reason, but his roommate noticed that the time Carl usually spent at work, he spent in bed. Carl's roommate also noticed his new eating habits. Carl would come home with either a sack of tacos or a whole pizza.
He would eat every last morsel of food, then roll back the covers and watch TV until falling asleep. His roommate tried to get him outside; asking if he wanted to go play basketball or lift weights, but Carl always had an excuse not to go. All of these new habits were signs that there was something bothering Carl. His actions fit the definition of Seasonal Affection Disorder exactly. The next example involves a lady named Mary. Mary is a single mother with two sons.
It is the middle of November and Mary is trying to get ready for the holidays. She decided to pick up a second job to help pay for the holiday season. She also needs to buy gifts and decorate the house and a tree for Christmas. Come Saturday, her only day off, Mary cannot make herself get out of bed. Her body is exhausted.
All she wants to do is sit in bed and eat all day. She is afraid that something is wrong with her. While watching the news she sees a report about a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder. The report went on to say that people who suffer from SAD have lack of energy and have an increased appetite.
They also gain weight and want to sleep during the day. Mary believes that this is what is happening to her. She decides to visit her doctor and see what the doctor has to say about it. Does Mary really have Seasonal Affective Disorder? Though Marys symptoms appear to be the same as those of people who suffer from SAD, she is in fact suffering from something totally different. Marys doctor diagnosed her with the Holiday Blues.
Holiday Blues is caused by the busy times around November and December due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Her lack of energy and increased appetite are due to her busy schedule, not because of the change of the season. The last example of Seasonal Affective Disorder involves a guy named Blake. In order to make a living, Blake makes handmade wedding dresses. Blakes dresses are very expensive and in high demand. Every year, around October, Blake notices that he has had difficulty meeting all of his orders.
He has a very hard time getting up in the morning and getting started. Many times, he has had to give people their money back because of his lack of dependability during the winter months. All the energy he has is used to get up and make him a sandwich. Blakes symptoms are the same as thousands of other people.
They all have symptoms found in the definition of sad. Seasonal Affective Disorder is not as common as one might think. Many people who believe that they suffer from this depression are probably mistaken. Most people who have winter depression usually suffer from very mild forms of depression like the Holiday Blues or Cabin Fever. These mild cases are less severe and much easier to treat.
It is important for doctors and psychiatrists to know what seasonal affective disorder is in order for them to know what to do for the person who is suffering from it. Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Seasonal Affective Disorder People Who Suffer
