Don't get beat by the·winter blues

The long winter months can adversely affect some people, causing fatigue, difficulty thinking clearly, poor concentration, low energy and overeating. SAD,or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a serious form of depression often encountered during the winter. By recognizing the symptoms, it is possible to receive treatment through counseling.

by Shanna Fanelli

assistant features editor

The holidays are gone. Over-priced, commercialized Christmas cheer has run its course. Adam Sandler jovially clued us in on who lit the menorah and due to enthusiastic consumption of eggnog, Grandma got squashed by Rudolph. Amidst the empty boxes of opened Christmas gifts, we find ourselves in the aftermath of holimy bliss.

Now, in the middle of winter's belly, the days are getting shorter, the air is turning drier and we, bio-electrical chemical beings (a.k.a. humans), find these seasonal conditions leaning heavily on our moods. During this period of hibernation and migration, we city folks tend to experience a variety of depressive side effects that range from common cabin fever to the more serious Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, as it is also known.

Depression is just a general heading for the many disorders that can plague us, especially during the winter months. •

"I like to look at [depression] like a tree with many different branches," says Dr. Andrew King, director of counseling services. Like the limbs of a tree, some branches of depression are longer and more complex than others.

SAD, discovered by Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, chief of the environmental psychiatry branch of the National Institute of Mental Health, is listed as a seasonal mood disorder in the mental depression category. Symptoms emerge due to a certain season, with emphasis on winter. This disorder, whose symptoms include fatigue, difficulty in thinking clearly or concentration, as well as low energy and overeating, should not be confused with "winter blues" or "holiday blues."

The traditional winter blahs, whose symptoms are similar to those of SAD-including guilty feelings, agitation, changes in sleeping patterns and headaches-can be managed through awareness and counseling.

Clinical investigation on SAD is still underway. Decreased sunlight, a winter trait, is linked with the cause of the disorder. Light treatment, where the subject is exposed to bright light, especially in the morning hours, has been shown to relieve symptoms.

The explanation as to why humans undergo Eyeorelike gloom during winter months can be traced back to the prehistoric "Joe meet Jane" days.

"Humans used to lead a nomadic life style," said King. This early wanderlust allowed our ape-like relatives to manage the changing seasons by relocating to warmer cli- mates, thus maintaining the daylight.

King believes that because we no longer migrate, but instead stay located in our cities and communities, we "suffer the consequences of our sedent~ life styles."

While this news may influence further frowns or death threats to the groundhog should he see his shadow, statistics prove more winter-friendly. The "winter blues," though common, are manageable. SAD, a more complex disorder, is actually not prevalent, with only 11 million people having been diagnosed.

As for those who have graduated from wall climbing to ceiling hanging, take heart. Wmter is only one season out of four, so it won't last forever-unlike that Christmas fruitcake that is sent in the mail.