August 23, 2021
Everyone experiences some version of the winter blues when they are caught inside and unable to move about as much as they would like because of the cold and snow. But some people experience a type of major depression that affects them in the fall and winter called seasonal affective disorder that is highly impairing and disruptive to their lives.
What is this strange form of depression and how does it relate to other forms of mental health problems?
This article will focus on answering these questions about the relationships between seasonal affective disorder (SAD), complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), and complex relational trauma.
What is SAD?
To be clear from the start, many who suffer from SAD have not experienced complex relational trauma, so it is unwise to say that SAD is a trauma-related disorder. Indeed, SAD is thought to have physical causes, not traumatic ones.
Seasonal affective disorder is a form of major depression that affects an estimated 10 million Americans with another 10-20% having a milder form. SAD is four times more common in women than men.
SAD doesn’t only occur in winter as it can also form in the summertime, but that is much rarer.
The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder in winter are as follows:
- Tendency to oversleep
- Weight gain
- A drop in energy levels
- Feelings of hopelessness and sadness
- Decreased physical activity
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Avoidance of social situations
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
The symptoms of SAD in summer are slightly different:
- Weight loss
- Insomnia
- Poor appetite
- Agitation
- Anxiety
No matter when people are affected by SAD they are critically ill and should take their condition seriously.
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