Cape Town - Are you consistently tired and anxious, have a diminished appetite, and are have difficulty waking up on harsh and nippy winter mornings?
If you have all these signs you could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Also known as winter or seasonal depression, this is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in winter, or summer.
While its main symptoms include difficulty waking up in the morning, a tendency to oversleep, loss of appetite or overeating, other symptoms include a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and withdrawal from friends, family and social activities.
Although most people get this disorder in winter, some experience it in summer.
The malady is experienced in cold regions such as Europe and the US.
South African psychiatrist Dr Theona Ballyram, who practises in Gauteng, has warned that South Africans are not immune to winter depression.
“Yes, some people do suffer from SAD in South Africa, but perhaps the good news for us is that the condition is not that common an ailment on our sunny shores… it’s common in colder and darker climates.”
Research suggests that between 2 and 3 percent of the population suffer from the disorder, while 15 percent experience less severe symptoms, described as “winter blues”.
Ballyram said while the disorder was not well understood, evidence had shown that genetics played a role in the disruption of brain functions and mood hormones among sufferers.
“What we do know is that there is a genetic component. It is definitely related to a disruption of the circadian rhythms and deregulation of certain neutral transmitters such as serotonin and hormones like melatonin.”
Melatonin is responsible for the control of sleep and wake cycles, while serotonin controls appetite, sleep, memory, temperature and mood and other behavioural functions.
For SAD sufferers, a change in sunlight and temperature not only causes havoc with their internal body clock, but results in a drop in serotonin and melatonin levels – creating a severe depressive episode.
People who have other mood disorders, including depression and bipolar problems, are more at risk of developing SAD.
“Whichever way the condition presents, it can become crippling for sufferers… not least because of its tendency to remit and recur,” she said.
A pattern of fading away and returning made diagnosis difficult, “as patients feel that they are better once the season comes to an end and therefore delay seeking help”.
However, once diagnosed, the disorder was easily treatable.
The disorder is more likely to affect women than men, and can affect anybody from the age of 20.
While some people experience symptoms severe enough to affect their quality of life, only six percent of SAD sufferers need to be admitted to hospital for treatment.
Janine Shamos, from the SA Depression and Anxiety Group, says while the disorder can be effectively treated with drugs, those with mild symptoms often benefit from more time outdoors and in sunny environments.
“Trim tree branches that block light, for example, and keep curtains open in the day. One can simply move furniture so that you sit near a window. Installing skylights and adding lamps can also help.”
Exercise also helps relieve SAD symptoms as it increases mental well-being.
Cape Argus