What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
The atmosphere has changed, the twilight has darkened, and the temperatures have dropped, marking the arrival of the winters. We'd prefer to postpone all our plans, take a cup of tea, and a warm mink blanket and hope to peregrinate through the season, given the blustery craziness of everyday life and the decreasing temperatures.
Winter brings with it a plethora of spirits and revelations. The darkness and weather have an effect on our emotions, our daily rhythm shifts, and we cherish the opportunity to slow down and enjoy some solitude.
The desire to hibernate is deeply ingrained in our biological systems as winter approaches. Hibernation, in the scientific sense, is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression leading to low body temperature, slow breathing and low metabolic rate.
It is considered to be an adaptive process that provided a survival advantage to mammals such as bears and rodents in the face of harsh winters.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), on the other hand, is a condition where depressive symptoms occur commonly during the autumn and winter months and then disappearduring the spring or summer.
It is thought to be caused by the hypothalamus, a tiny organ in our brain that limits the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin.
A peculiar question that comes to our mind is whether people with seasonal depression could be the jinxed descendants of those well-adapted hominids?
There's a fine line between our desire to hibernate and SAD, and the two are frequently thought to be on the same spectrum. A diagnosis may be given to the person directly to the left of the line, but not to the one directly to the right. They don't appear to be that different in the picture.
What distinguishes our normal will to hold ourselves down during winters from seasonal affective disorder is the presence of some substantial symptoms like:
Interference with work and social life.
Seasonal affective disorder is more common in people who have less exposure to sunlight and who live far away from the equator. Women are more likely than men to develop it.
SAD is a challenging condition to deal with since it makes you weary, depressed, and stressed. The good news is that it can be treated successfully.
SAD is treated by light therapy, which is a paradigm method. It involves sitting in front of, or beneath, a light box. The light produced by these lightboxes is quite bright. Early in the morning, when melatonin secretion is at its lowest, people respond best to light therapy.
‘Cognitive-behavioural therapy’ focuses on developing various remarkable skills to improve coping with the seasons.It involves locating, scheduling, and participating in enjoyable, engaging activities every day during the winter months. During the winter, these foresight actions combat the desire to hibernate.
In conclusion, increasing time spent outdoors, physical activity, and healthy eating habits are just a few of the lifestyle changes that can help you keep a positive attitude.
SOURCE:
https://www.risingkashmir.com/-Seasonal-Affective-Disorder--Symptoms-and-treatment-96854