With the weather changing rapidly, Seasonal Affective Disorder can take effect.   

SAD is a type of depression that is related to the seasons and usually happens around the same time each year, according to the National Institute of Health.   

SAD can increase anxiety and decrease mood exponentially, making the increase of darker thoughts very apparent in the psyche.  

There are different patterns related to SAD. People with a winter pattern produce too much melatonin. Increased sleepiness leads to overthinking.   

Conversely, people with a summer pattern may have reduced melatonin levels, worsening sleep quality.  

“There is still some mystery behind it. We know that our circadian rhythm affects our neural transmitters, so they affect dopamine, serotonin and those different elements that regulate our mood,” said Jeff Peterson, an associate professor and counselor at WSC..  

It is also common for people with depression to have SAD as well, meaning symptoms worsen during SAD episodes.  

This combination can make diagnosis and treatment more complex.  

“With depression in general, I find it really hard to find motivation to do a lot of things,” said freshman Ethan Hajek.“But with seasonal depression, it gets a lot worse. All my emotions get very negative, and I don’t have any energy to go to classes, talk to my friends or do anything but lay in bed and doomscroll all day.” 

 On the bright side, there are ways to help navigate through SAD. WSC offers counseling services for anyone who is struggling and may need someone to talk to.   

“I always recommend folks to try counseling for about four to six sessions just to see how it’s working,” said Peterson. “It’s not a fast one or two deal, but at least you can get a regular pattern going with a therapist you can trust.”   

Counseling is not just restricted to your scheduled meetings.  

If you need someone to talk to after hours, campus security can connect you to a counselor on call.  

Outside of therapy, there are many different ways to navigate through SAD.  

“Something that has helped me personally is that I put up lights in my living room. To give me the proper light for my circadian rhythm,” said Peterson. 

SAD can be hard to fight as the weather switches from one end to the other, but help will always be around the corner.