Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Money/Health

Media Credit: MCT

Trudging through the frigid, snow-packed UW-Eau Claire campus on a daily basis may not be a student's idea of a good time. Enduring early darkness for months of winter can be annoying. Most admit to hoping for spring to come or dreaming of a sunny vacation.

But feeling trapped in the doldrums of winter could be more serious than a general dislike for the cold season.

Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression directly linked to seasonal changes. According to a Nov. 2006 study by the American Family Physician, SAD is not a mood disorder, but a sign of serious depression.

"There are many people who experience winter blues," said Dr. William Weggel, psychiatrist at Luther Midelfort Hospital, 1221 Whipple St, in an e-mail to The Spectator. "I see those who are experiencing more serious symptoms of seasonal affective disorder."

Stacy Duran, a junior at Luther College (Iowa), said she feels down in the winter months because it is cold, dark and dry. This constant climate puts her in a bad mood for extended periods of time, she said.

"It can be pretty debilitating," said Mary Joe Sorenson, licensed marriage and family therapist at L.E Phillip-Libertas Center in Chippewa Falls "It's not something you can wait through and bounce back."

As far as symptoms, she said, SAD is similar to other forms of depression. Fatigue, loss of interest in things previously enjoyed, a tendency to isolate socially, weight gain or loss, and an overall feeling of hopelessness are all common characteristics of the disorder.

In addition, people simply feel bad about coping with it, Sorenson said.

"Frankly, they can have low self-esteem because they think they should just buck up and deal with it," she said.

The main difference between SAD and regular depression is what causes it in the brain.

Sorensen said people in the northern hemisphere are more prone to struggling with the disorder because of what triggers it.

Sunlight enters the brain through our eyes stimulating the production of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which supports nerve cell function including mood, according to Weggel, who added less light results in lower levels of serotonin. The combination of less serotonin, which helps nerve cells cooperate, and increased amounts of melatonin, which puts a body to sleep, causes SAD, according to Weggel.

The onset of an individual's depression is an important factor in determining whether or not it is SAD, Sorensen said. She added if a patient's depression is linked to a seasonal pattern for at least two years, then they meet the criterion for SAD. Typically, she said, onset runs from late October through the winter months.

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