Dealing with seasonal depression in Georgia

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD for short, is a type of depression that occurs in the winter months. Unlike other forms of depression, which have a myriad of causes, SAD is known for being caused by the lack of sunlight, shorter days, and colder temperatures. The lack of sunlight changes the chemicals in our brains, which can trigger depression in some people. Fortunately, Seasonal Affective Disorder is also highly treatable, especially in a place with more sunlight like Georiga.  

You might have Seasonal Affective Disorder if you are experiencing these symptoms: 

1. Persistent low mood: Feeling down, sad, or hopeless most days.
2. Loss of interest or pleasure in activities: Finding less joy or enjoyment in things you used to love.
3. Changes in appetite or weight: Experiencing changes in appetite, leading to weight loss or gain.
4. Sleep disturbances: Feeling the need to sleep more than usual or struggling to get restful sleep.
5. Fatigue or low energy: Feeling tired, lethargic, or lacking energy to engage in daily activities.
6. Difficulty concentrating or making decisions: Experiencing challenges in focusing or making choices.
7. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt: Engaging in self-critical or negative thoughts about oneself.

Depression doesn’t always feel like sadness or numbness. It can feel irritable, brain fogged, exhausted, or hopeless. It can feel like nothing in your life quite fits anymore, and you can’t figure out why. SAD can be frustrating because it comes every year.

For people without Depression during the winter months but who still get a little down, a mild form of SAD was termed the “winter blues”. The winter blues describes the phenomenon of lower energy and mood levels during the winter and is estimated to affect around 38% of America on some level. 

The winter blues are not as serious as Seasonal Depression and can be treated without therapy and medication, which may be recommended for people with SAD. 

Rates of Seasonal Depressive Disorder in Georgia

The lack of sunlight is the primary cause of Seasonal Depressive Disorder. Because of this, seasonal depression will get better in the spring, and rates of SAD tend to increase in latitude. It’s true that states with severe winters that are dark and overcast most days have a higher rate of Seasonal Depression Disorder, but that doesn’t mean the sunny southern states are exempt. 

In Georgia, the rate of SAD is around 3.90%. That’s much lower than New York’s frigid 6.1% or Canada’s icey 7.2%, but it’s not negligible. For comparison, Florida’s rate of SAD is 1%.

Seasonal Depression is a real mental health illness and depressive episode. It can also be much milder though, with “winter blues” being used to describe feeling generally down and low energy during the winter months but not meeting the criteria for depression. In Georgia, around 10% of the population experiences these “winter blues”. Although not diagnosable, people with this milder form of SAD could still benefit from implementing healthy coping mechanisms and leaning on their support system during the winter months. 

How to Deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder in Georgia: 5 Tips

If you’re in Georgia and struggling with SAD you might wonder what you can do about it. The weather is already hovering in the cool mid-50s and around 10 hours of sunlight every day during the winter months, so why are you feeling sad? 

Our brain is very sensitive to changes in our environment. The shortened days and colder weather are impacting your brain’s chemicals. 

The shorter the days, the more melatonin your body creates, and the more tired you feel. Also, the shorter the days, the less Vitamin D you get, which can also negatively affect mood. Finally, researchers have found that less sunlight creates less serotonin, one of the “feel good” chemicals in your brain. When you combine all three of these: more melatonin, less Vitamin D, and less serotonin, you get depression. 

It makes sense, then, why a Georgia resident who was used to springs and summers will start to feel depressed in the wintertime, even if it is a mild winter. 

If you’re feeling depressed during the winter in Georgia, here are five things you can do:

1. Light therapy: 60-80% of people with seasonal depression feel better after receiving light therapy, which is when people sit by a lightbox, a special lamp that imitates the sun’s rays, for 30-40 minutes every morning and evening. 
2. Take care of yourself: Eating well, sleeping lots, and getting exercise throughout the winter is paramount, especially when the holidays are prone to cut those habits you’ve developed all year. A healthy body can support a healthy mind, so don’t neglect these aspects of your self-care. 
3. Hang out with your support system: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based therapy method, has a skill called “opposite action”. Opposite action is a skill that prompts you to react differently than your unhelpful emotions tell you to. If your seasonal depression is telling you to lay in bed all day and not talk with people, do the opposite! Get engaged with your friend group and family. 
4. Find something fun to do: Find joy where you can during the winter months. Start a new hobby or get engaged in a previously enjoyed one. Carve out time every day to do something that you really enjoy, simply for the enjoyment of it. 
5. Talk to a Georgia therapist: Seasonal depression is real depression, and depression can suck the life out of anyone’s routine. If your SAD is getting too hard to handle, talk to a therapist. They can help you find healthy coping mechanisms and treat the worst of the depression symptoms. 

To find a Georgia therapist near you, reach out to Lifebulb. We have online therapists and in-person therapists throughout Georgia. We can match you with a therapist who is right for your needs and someone who specializes in seasonal depression. 

SAD usually gets better on its own once the days start to lengthen again, but that doesn’t mean you should just wait it out. You deserve every second of joy and fulfillment, and that includes the winter months! 

Talk to a Georgia depression therapist today about how therapy for SAD can help you start feeling better sooner than Spring. 

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