According to the American Psychiatric Association, 27% of US citizens feel depressed around the winter months. So, if you are feeling more sluggish and fatigued during this time, you are not alone.
Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder, is a scientifically proven disorder, but it is different from general clinical depression. It is a specific type of depression or a pattern of depression that shows up in people in colder months.
Why Seasonal Depression Counts as a Real Mental Health Condition
Psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal and colleagues first defined winter depression as a syndrome in 1984. The manuals have shifted since then. The DSM-5 no longer treats SAD as a standalone disorder and instead files it as major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern.
So, is it a mental illness? Yes, in the same sense as major depression. The seasonal part is a timing/pattern label (a specifier). It should not be considered a milder diagnosis.
What Makes It Different From Ordinary Sadness?
It is normal to feel exhausted after a long day in winter. But there is a line between winter blues and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Mild symptoms that fade within about 2 weeks are one thing. But if you are experiencing more severe symptoms (becoming antisocial, oversleeping, gaining weight), you should consider getting professional help.
Whether you are feeling mild or severe symptoms, BNBA's therapy and mental healthcare services give you a structured way to work through seasonal depression. From sorting out whether you are dealing with SAD to building a treatment plan, the expert therapists can help you manage your emotions.
The Science Behind Seasonal Depression
In a 2008 PET imaging study of 88 healthy adults, researchers found that the serotonin transporter was more active in fall and winter scans. More transporter activity means less serotonin hanging around to lift your mood. Researchers considered it a reason you feel more depressed in winter.
Can Changing Seasons Really Affect Your Mental Health?
Yes, for a meaningful slice of the population, and the mechanism is more ordinary than it sounds. Light is the signal your brain uses to set its daily rhythm. When days shorten, that signal weakens.
Shifts in serotonin and melatonin then make it harder to adjust to the new day length, which scrambles sleep, mood, and behavior. That is the short answer to why seasonal depression happens.
However, some people feel it more than others. The usual reasons can be:
Living farther from the equator, where winter days are shortest
Family history of depression, bipolar disorder, or SAD
Being a woman, or being in young adulthood
Already having depression, anxiety, ADHD, or an eating disorder
Is Seasonal Depression Genetic?
Seasonal depression does not have a direct connection with genes, but genetic history can play a strong role in your overall vulnerability.
A twin study of more than 4,639 Australian adults estimated that genes explain at least 29 percent of the variation in seasonal mood changes. A 2018 genome-wide study of 1,380 SAD cases flagged a gene called ZBTB20 as a candidate.
Still, research on Old Order Amish communities, who avoid electric light at home, found low heritability for SAD itself, which the authors read as a sign that environment does much of the work.
So is seasonal depression genetic? Family history raises your odds of getting seasonal affective disorder, but environment plays a major role as well.
Is This an Actual Form of Depression or Just Winter Blues?
SAD and winter blues can overlap, but they are not interchangeable. Seasonal depression is not just winter blues turned up a notch. Main differences are:
If winter has made you feel down but you are still functioning, a walk in morning daylight can help. But if you get really depressed in winter year after year, to the point that your work or relationships suffer, that is the moment to reach out for help.
Can Seasonal Depression Happen Outside Winter?
Like seasonal depression is a real thing in winter, summer-pattern SAD is also a real mental health issue. It is much rarer and an understudied condition. According to NIMH, there are no treatments specific to it. Researchers suspect lower melatonin, with long, hot days wrecking sleep quality.
When to Take Seasonal Mood Changes Seriously
Take it seriously when you notice any of these:
Low mood, heavy fatigue, or lost interest
Trouble keeping up with your life
It keeps returning in the same season, year after year
Any thoughts of death or suicide
Get Expert Help for Seasonal Depression from BNBA
People with SAD often live with other conditions, and the seasons can stir things up. If you or your loved one is struggling with depression during winter, you can get connected with the experts at Boston Neurobehavioral Associates. Our evidence-based depression treatment and personalized mental health care can help you survive the colder months.
Book your appointment today or schedule a virtual visit.
FAQs: Seasonal Depression
Is Seasonal Depression Just the Winter Blues?
No. Winter blues are mild and short, and you can still function. Seasonal depression lasts four to five months a year, disrupts daily life, and returns in the same season.
How Do Experts Diagnose It, and Does It Return Every Year?
They look for depression symptoms that start and end in the same season for at least two consecutive years. It does not strike every single year for everyone, but it recurs in a predictable pattern.
How to Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder Naturally?
Get early-morning daylight, exercise regularly outdoors, keep a consistent sleep schedule, and stay socially active to treat seasonal affective disorder naturally.