Depression Living with Depression

When Winter Brings on More Than the Doldrums

Summary & Participants

For some people, the shorter days of winter can bring on a severe case of depression.

Medically Reviewed On: August 06, 2008

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: For many people the short days of winter bring on the doldrums.

Joan E. Roberts, PhD, Professor of Chemistry: I went for a sabbatical in England, where the sun goes down -- if it comes up at all, the sun goes down at about 3:00 in the afternoon, and I got seasonally depressed.

ANNOUNCER: But about half a million Americans experience a more severe case of winter depression, called seasonal affective disorder or SAD.

Anie Kalayjian, PhD, Psychologist: It’s similar to depression, but the difference is that it is seasonal. Onset is around October, November. It can be severe enough where people are unable to function in terms of going to work, being productive, being social, and will be more agitated, irritable and more isolated.

ANNOUNCER: While the cause is unknown, one theory is the lack of light disrupts the chemistry of the brain.

Joan E. Roberts, PhD, Professor of Chemistry: Light, when it goes through the eye, also goes to the hypothalamus and that turns on serotonin and dopamine. So in the winter, you have less serotonin and dopamine because you have less visible light.

Anie Kalayjian, PhD, Psychologist: Our internal body clock, internal -- which is called circadian rhythm, it gets affected by the longer, the darker and the colder days, the further you are from the equator, the more susceptibility one may have

ANNOUNCER: For those with mild cases of SAD, chasing the sun might be the answer.

Anie Kalayjian, PhD, Psychologist: I have some clients who go away in the end of December and January to warm climates so that they can get away and get a dose of vitamin d and be in the sun, rejuvenate and come back.

ANNOUNCER: For more serious cases, psychologists may recommend sitting in front of a special lamp for 30 minutes or more a day, usually in the morning.

Joan E. Roberts, PhD, Professor of Chemistry: It does exactly what an antidepressant drug does without the side effects as long as you’re careful about the wavelengths of light.

Anie Kalayjian, PhD, Psychologist: I would recommend for people to go to a psychologist and receive proper diagnosis and proper treatment.

ANNOUNCER: Thanks for joining us on today’s Once Daily.