Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder is a reoccurring mood disorder with a Seasonal pattern for recurrent major depressive disorder that occurs at a specific time of the year and the effects cease otherwise.

The 2014 North American cold wave brought temperatures falling to unprecedented levels. Consequently, low temperature records were broken across the U.S., leading to business, school, and road closures, as well as mass flight cancellations. The front itself is reason for spirits to drop, however, combined with Seasonal affective disorder the result was dismal.

Seasonal mood variations are believed to be related to light, and cloud cover may contribute to the negative effects of SAD. At times, patients may not feel depressed, but lack energy to perform everyday activities.

The apprehension to the cold weather that makes one not want to venture out into the sunlight causes lack of vitamin D resulting in depression which becomes a more volatile mixture when the current state of mental healthcare is lacking. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that states have cut a collective $1.8 billion in mental health benefits from 2009-2011.

This is unfortunate and confusing because the adjusted percentage of adolescents reporting excellent or very good health in 2009–2010 (51.8%) was significantly lower than in 2003–2004 (64.0%), according to a study done by Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

Sometimes life at college brings with it self-doubt, worries, or confusion about values. WHY VALUES? Talking with a professional counselor may help you identify and clarify issues and in finding the coping resources to successfully confront them. Fortunately, Delta College offers counseling and advising services for those suffering the affects of the “Winter Blues”, as well as other mental illnesses.

The school is also holding a “Care Fair” on Thursday, February 13th at 9AM to 3:30PM. The Care Fair is an opportunity for students to learn more about the mental health resources in our surrounding counties by bringing agencies onto campus. It is free of charge, and located in Delta College’s West Main Hallway. For more information, contact Jessica Miller (jessicamiller3@delta.edu).

It is great that amidst the slashing of benefits for those who are facing mental illnesses, faculty and students here at Delta College are offering a hand up. It is pivotal to provide behavioral counseling and therapy to successfully cope with the various disorders.

“Despite struggles they face, youths in economic challenges may cultivate these prosocial values, perhaps because they themselves struggle and come to understand the importance of others and the society,” analyzed Heejung Park of the University of California. Park led a study on current state of behavior named “The Great Recession: Implications for Adolescent Values and Behavior”.12