Spring Break
The Daily OrangeWinter blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder can cause mood swings, depression during coldest months
By Jeffrey Moses
Posted: 2/22/08, 12:27 AM EST Section: News
Rebecca Fleischer, a Syracuse University sophomore from Las Vegas, said she heard rumors about the bad weather in Syracuse when she first applied - but she didn't know it could affect her mood.
"It was a big transition coming to SU," Fleischer, an advertising major, said. "Everyday at home is sunny. Then I come here, and it is the total opposite everyday. Especially in the winter, sunny days are rare.
She said the dark days make her feel tired, and she just wants to stay inside.
"When the sun is not out I lose my energy," she said. "I am more inclined to stay indoors and not do anything. It is something I have had to become accustomed to."
With Syracuse so close to the Great Lakes, there is added moisture in the air, resulting in more cloud coverage. Because of the clouds covering the sun, seasonal affective disorder or SAD is a type of depression that affects people in the winter, especially in the Syracuse region.
SAD can be a result of sunlight deprivation. People who do not get a lot of sunlight tend to get depressed according to Kelly Schwartz, a graduate student studying experimental psychology at Syracuse University.
One treatment for seasonal affective disorder is therapy.
"There are couple different types of therapy," Schwartz said. "There are medications available, typically anti-depressants."
Schwartz said the most common drug is wellbutrin extended release. Another option is light treatment. This is typically for people who don't want to immediately go to the doctor and want to fix it themselves, Schwartz said.
Some doctors may recommend it even though it is not FDA approved, she said.
People say it works, Schwartz added, but she also said that the FDA has not approved it as an official treatment because of the lack of definitive evidence.
"The cheaper lights are $150, and they can range to $400," Schwartz said. "The light is supposed to mimic the sun's rays. Your body needs light; if you go without your body will react, and you will get depressed, which is what SAD is."
"It was a big transition coming to SU," Fleischer, an advertising major, said. "Everyday at home is sunny. Then I come here, and it is the total opposite everyday. Especially in the winter, sunny days are rare.
She said the dark days make her feel tired, and she just wants to stay inside.
"When the sun is not out I lose my energy," she said. "I am more inclined to stay indoors and not do anything. It is something I have had to become accustomed to."
With Syracuse so close to the Great Lakes, there is added moisture in the air, resulting in more cloud coverage. Because of the clouds covering the sun, seasonal affective disorder or SAD is a type of depression that affects people in the winter, especially in the Syracuse region.
SAD can be a result of sunlight deprivation. People who do not get a lot of sunlight tend to get depressed according to Kelly Schwartz, a graduate student studying experimental psychology at Syracuse University.
One treatment for seasonal affective disorder is therapy.
"There are couple different types of therapy," Schwartz said. "There are medications available, typically anti-depressants."
Schwartz said the most common drug is wellbutrin extended release. Another option is light treatment. This is typically for people who don't want to immediately go to the doctor and want to fix it themselves, Schwartz said.
Some doctors may recommend it even though it is not FDA approved, she said.
People say it works, Schwartz added, but she also said that the FDA has not approved it as an official treatment because of the lack of definitive evidence.
"The cheaper lights are $150, and they can range to $400," Schwartz said. "The light is supposed to mimic the sun's rays. Your body needs light; if you go without your body will react, and you will get depressed, which is what SAD is."
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