Don't let the winter blues get you down
Dealing with winter depression
by ANDREA KIMBRIEL Reporter

In addition to bringing icy streets and piles of snow, winter can have negative health repercussions for some. A number of people notice an increase in feelings of depression during fall and winter months, said Dr. Steven Dubovsky, professor and chair of the department of psychiatry at the University at Buffalo.

Seasonal affective disorder is a condition that causes people to be depressed in winter and, in some cases, overly "revved up" in spring or summer, he said.

"It's clearly related to the available amount of sunlight," he said.

Those who in the northern portion of the continent experience shorter days with fewer hours of sun. The lack of natural light can result in symptoms such as depression, irritability, trouble concentrating, low energy and increased appetite.

Western New Yorkers are impacted by the effects of limited sunlight, he said.

"It's going to be fairly common. There's going to be quite a bit of it," he said.

Seasonal variations in mood and energy are not abnormal. However, if one is unable to get out of bed or handle responsibilities, treatment should be sought, he said.

"Whenever it's causing a problem, you should think about treating it," he said.

SAD has two forms: unipolar - symptoms of depression in winter, and bipolar - depression in the winter and manic symptoms in the summer.

There is good news for sufferers of SAD. Treatment with artificial light will typically cure depression in two to three days to several weeks and is 75 to 80 percent effective, he said.

The artificial light must be at least one-fourth as strong as natural light.

"If you stop the bright light, the depression tends to come back in three to five days," he said.

Possible side effects include headaches and excessive energy in those with the bipolar type of the disorder if they receive too much light. Medication can also be used to treat SAD.

The success of the light treatment indicates that light is the only factor causing the syndrome, said Dubovsky. It has nothing to do with the stress of the holiday season, a common misconception.

The timing of the symptoms is reversed in the southern hemisphere, where the seasons are opposite.

If symptoms are serious, it is wise to receive a medical evaluation, since they might be a sign of some other issue, he said.

Hypothyroidism is one problem that can be mistaken for SAD. Also, 70 percent of people with depression have more severe symptoms in the winter, so they might be depressed all year but not notice.

Dubovsky recommended that those who think they might have SAD visit a doctor rather than relying on possibly incorrect information from the Internet.

"I think there's probably a lot of people that don't know what this is. I think there's a lot of people that if they step back would say 'I'm not my best in the winter,'" he said.