Also known as seasonal depression, seasonal affective disorder is established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM V). It falls under the category of affective disorders.
These types of disorders are characterized by prolonged and intense emotional affectations that can be depressive or manic or both.
Symptoms of emotional affective disorder
Most people who experience this disorder are used to feeling bad for a big part of the year, so they can minimize the symptoms. If you think you may have it, it is important not to self-diagnose and see a psychologist and/or psychiatrist who can help you.
Similarly, most cases occur during winter, however, there is also a pattern that can occur in summer. The most common symptoms are: feeling sad on a sustained basis, feeling lethargic, having trouble concentrating, sleeping more than normal, gaining or losing weight, irritability, and withdrawal from social settings.
Symptoms can vary in intensity from moderate to disabling symptoms.
Who are more susceptible to presenting it?
SAD is more prevalent in people who live far from the equator. Either further north or south, since winters tend to be longer in these places and weather and light conditions can affect our circadian cycles (internal clock).
Also, people with some types of previous affective disorder are more likely to present it.
Why is this disorder generated?
In this case, there are important physiological reasons. There may be a difficulty producing and regulating serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates our mood. In addition, vitamin D has a great impact on serotonin, being the sun our main source of it, it is understood that prolonged winters impact a deficit.
The overproduction of melatonin (a hormone that regulates sleep) plays a central role. This hormone is produced more in the dark, this may explain the lethargy and excessive sleepiness that people with SAD experience.
Particular case: SAD in Australia
Due to Australia's geographical position, some parts of the country can experience long winters or some challenging climates. After all, remember that the word Australia comes from "austral" which means that it comes from or is from the south.
Some southern Australian cities like Melbourne have long winters that affect the mood of their native and migrant inhabitants, others like Sydney can have prolonged periods of rain, which means less sunlight and almost always vitamin D deficiency. On the contrary, in the north, there is a lot of light and heat, which can also be oppressive.
I recommend you find out about the climate of the city you want to move to before actually doing so.
How to counteract this disorder?
It is important to see a mental health specialist. Treatment may include psychological therapy to generate strategies to deal with depression, as well as to deepen into its causes. Pharmacological and supplementation treatment is also common, as well as phototherapy.
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