By Wylliam Smith
We’ve all heard of the saying “gotta beat the winter blues” or something similar to that. And as the holiday season comes to an end, we are faced with plowing through the rest of the cold months with no breaks from school until spring.
What is widely known as the winter blues is actually a certified form of depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Despite the nature of the name, it is a real problem for lots of people who simply view the disorder as nothing more than a cliché.
SAD is scientifically defined as “a type of depression that is related to the seasons.” It normally comes the same time every year, and theorists claim that it could be caused by the days being shorter in the summer.
As the world becomes more knowledgeable about mental illnesses, it’s almost shocking how few people actually realize this is an actual disease. While the University of Iowa offers many counseling opportunities, the real problem is the lack of awareness.
With a name such as SAD, some might think this form of depression is purely fabricated. It’s hard to imagine a professor who would believe you if you said you couldn’t come to class because you were suffering from being SAD.
Still, SAD is a scientifically documented phenomenon, and it should be taken seriously. Students who may suffer increased feelings of depression during the winter months should know that this isn’t just homesickness or stress of a new semester.
A few symptoms of SAD include always being tired, craving for sugary foods, gaining weight, feeling irritable or hopeless, and, obviously, being sad.
Naturally, as most college students get used to having new freedoms, they can easily fall into bad habits, which can range from oversleeping to bad diets.
With students participating in these lifestyles, they could be potentially making their winter blues worse. For example, sleep is still very important, but too much could become a problem.
While there is no “cure,” or treatment, for Seasonal Affective Disorder, doctors say there are some things that you can do to help alleviate the problem. First, get as much sunlight as possible, because the lack of sunlight is one of the major causes of the disorder.
Second, don’t just lie around the dorm or house. Keep active, get outside, and do something. It may sound silly, but sitting at home will only make you feel worse.
Also try to have healthy eating habits. Those cookies and pizza in the dining hall look, and probably taste, good, but overall, loading up on sugary foods is never good for you, no matter what season.
Last, reach out to someone if you are feeling bad. You never want to bottle up your feelings and hide away. It doesn’t have to be a counselor, it could be one of your friends — just talk to someone. And keep your head up; winter doesn’t last forever.
