Depression vector created by pch.vector - www.freepik.com and Inkscape.org
y’all will obsess with fall/winter during the summer just to complain about seasonal depression & the sunsetting at 4:47pm
— 🍁 (@Hibzster) August 15, 2022
There has been a lot of talk about seasonal depressive disorder lately especially now with the sinter fast approaching. It has been the talk of a lot of people on Twitter.
In this post, I will be digging into this topic to help people who might be dealing with this condition.
In the last post I discussed how singing can help with depression and how research showed that about 90 minutes of singing was enough to cause significat changes in both people dealing with depression and members of the general population
This is an interesting post I found online:
Five lies Depression will tell you:
— The Psychotherapist (@dedoyinajayi) August 13, 2022
- I’m a burden
- It will not get better
- I’m a failure
- Getting help is pointless
- Nobody cares.
No matter the situation, never believe these lies. I’m rooting for you 🤎
I too am rooting for you and I believe you can get through this, keep seeking help and keep finding out more about the condition.
Hello, My name is Dr. Ebingo Kigigha I am a medical doctor and illustrator. I also hope to be a psychiatrist someday and I hope to educate others as I educate myself about depression.
I am the main writer here at Medic Vibe where we raise awareness about depression and other mental health conditions.
Depression is a mental health condition whose cause is not known but is believed to be a result of changes in the seratoine pathway in the brain. The condition is characterised by a sad mood and a lack of pleasure in previously enjoyable activities. There are also symptoms of changes in weight and appetite associated with this condition.
Depression is a cause of suicidal ideation and suicide as a whole. Individuals who are depressed and express a wish to end their lives may need help from experts. Prompt action from loved ones could save the lives of those who are dealing with severe depression
If you are Nigeria and need help from a health care practitioner you can reach out from here:
Check your country's suicide hotlines here.
Seasonal Depression
Seasonal Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD), is a type of depression that has an appearance related to the weather. The most common type of seasonal Affective disorder affects those who have symptoms of depression during the Winter/fall while the less common type of SAD affects people between Summer and Spring.
Symptoms of this condition are similar to Major depressive disorder and include a sad mood, lack of pleasure in previously enjoyable activeites, changes in weight (either weight gain or weight loss) Changes in appetite (increased or reduced), Sleep changes, reduced energy state.
The more common SAD that affects eople during the Fall/Winter usually has symptoms of weight gain, increase in appetite and hypersomnia. While the one that affects people in the Summer/Spring has opposite symptoms.
The cause of this condition is not known, similarly to Major Affective Disorder. But genetics has been thought to be a possible cause. The genes that are lily to be involved are responsible for brain function.
Neurotransmitters serotonin and Dopamine have been listed in research as a precipitating factor. These neurotransmitters play a role in sleep regulation.
According to Medline Plus, SAD can affect around 3% of people in general and may affect up to 20% of people with Major depressive disorder and over 20% of those with Bipolar affective disorder
From the statistical data, it appears that those who suffer from Major depressive disorder and Bipolar Affective Disorder are at risk.
SAD can cause poor school performance, it has been linked to substance abuse and other mental health disorders
Tip
Even though there is no known way to prevent SAD in those affected by it, early diagnosis can prevent complications of the condition from ensuing.
Research done has shown that phototherapy is useful for of treatment for this condition and should be considered especially for those who suffer from the more common Winter/Fall type of SAD.
There is an important place for psychotherapy in the management of this condition and sometimes patients may require both psychotherapy and medications.
It is important to find time to see a mental health professional if the symptoms of this condition describe your symptoms.
Hive Stories
@liveofdalla, a mental health practitioner (my senior) give a nice take on mental health. In her post, she talked about how people have different mentality about mental health whenever the topic is brought up.
She also explained how people seem to not understand the topic until they are affected. I like that she explained things in clear terms even though it was originally written in Spanish I was able to get the full understanding of what she was trying to say.
I would like for my readers to check out her psot hear
Questions
What are the symptoms of seasonal depressive disorder
In what ways do Seasonal depressive disorders differ from major depressive disorderWhat would be your advice for a person going through this condition?
Do you feel those listed in the statistical data make up a realistic number?
Conclusion
Seasonal depressive disorder is a limiting disease and can progress to Major depression and therefore can lead to suicide. This condition should be handled with special care
