Despite its impressive catalogue of holidays and almost overwhelming festivity, winter is almost always associated with dreariness, drab skies, and depression. The winter months can be hard for a number of reasons. The increase in academic rigor brings additional stress for students, and winter’s lack of sunlight can disrupt one’s circadian rhythm, very commonly leading to a mild form of seasonal depression known as “winter blues.” A poll by the American Psychiatric Association showed nearly 40 percent of people experience symptoms like moodiness and fatigue associated with the winter months. People often assume seasonal depression always manifests as winter blues. However, this assumption is harmful to the approximately one in 20 people for whom seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a serious depressive disorder that needs to be acknowledged and taken seriously.
While California’s climate is quite temperate compared to other states, many residents still experience SAD. This is because SAD isn’t caused by winter’s cold weather or dreariness but rather by a change in the amount of sunlight in the day. In the wintertime, days get shorter, and this can throw off one’s internal clock and lead to depression. While this still requires further research, it is believed to be the true cause of SAD.
SAD occurs primarily in the winter, though in rare cases, it can also happen in spring or summer. Summer and winter SAD share a lot of symptoms. Both bring symptoms like hopelessness, irritability, fatigue, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and even suicidal ideation and actions. These symptoms aren’t just ordinary winter gloominess or holiday-related stress, they’re serious and in line with many symptoms of non-seasonal depression.
Teens experience SAD at similar rates to adults, and the winter months are made even harder for them by the increased workload in school. A lot of teachers start prepping their students for end-of-semester exams in the winter months, and many AP classes ramp up with the approaching test season, meaning much more stress for students as they grapple with more work and shorter days. Mental health resources like Berkeley High School’s Wellness Center are great for helping students work through these struggles, but they can also eat into class time, which could cause more stress for the student. This end-of-semester stress takes a toll on students’ mental health, and it makes the already taxing winter months one of the hardest times of the year.
However, people are still quick to dismiss seasonal depression as ordinary winter blues, and this assumption is dangerous. SAD is a real, legitimate disorder, and those who might have it should be encouraged to look into getting a diagnosis and treatment. Waving off something serious as a universal experience is the opposite of awareness; it downplays others’ struggles and prevents them from understanding their own experience and seeking help. Awareness is key. The more knowledge and conversation there is about mental health, especially SAD, the more people can do to seek help, resources, and help others get better.
SAD needs more recognition. As it stands, a lot of people are unaware of its seriousness, which can be harmful to the many affected. Winter is a difficult time of year already, especially for students, and schools need to prioritize theit students’ mental health during the winter so that they can continue to learn even during such a challenging time of the year.