Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), commonly called ‘Winter Blues’, is a type of depression which most commonly manifests itself during the fall and winter months. Understanding the causes and signs of SAD is important to avoiding falling into depression during the cold winter months ahead.
Symptoms:
Sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder may experience weight gain, loss of energy, and the general feeling of hopelessness. Some other symptoms may include:
- Collecting and storing nuts
- Feeling a slight chill
- Being as depressed as you are the rest of the year but blaming it on the winter
- Listening to Elliott Smith
Causes:
Due to the reduction of daylight hours and sunlight, alterations in circadian rhythms and seratonin levels may be triggers of depression. Other specific causes may include:
- Cold weather is a reminder of the impending Ice Age
- Shorter days, meaning less time to pursue an ultimately meaningless existence
- Evanston is a windy shithole
- Once groundhogs go into hibernation what does anyone really have to live for, anyway
- Harsh weather means you have to cover your bare calves, your only redeeming feature
- Yearly 5º temperature decrease as a result of Green Cup’s reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Prevention:
The steps to treating Seasonal Affective Depression are often easier and simpler than many think. To keep from falling into the ‘Winter Blues’, try any of the following effective treatments.
- Put on a sweater
- Maintain firm eye contact with the Sun at least once a day
- Simulate summer by staying inside all day and complaining about how much you miss Northwestern
- Consider rescheduling your classes for day time
- Evolve past photosynthesis, gain a majority of your nutrients from food
- Simulate dawn by turning on your light in the morning and slowly opening your eyes
- Sacrifice the tribe’s most valued elephant seal to Höðr, Norse god of winter
- Get plenty of exercising by rolling back and forth in your bed
- Take care of yourself, Northwestern
