Since fall is here, it's time to think about what shorter days might mean to our moods. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is episodes of depression that occur at a certain time of the year, usually during winter.
It's important for MS'ers, to consider what can “I” do, and how can "I" adapt the things I am currently unable to do, to make them more fit for the “me” with MS. Some of the things we can do is getting enough daily exercise. Manage stress levels, bringing more light into our homes, staying busy with enjoyable activities (even on the crappy days), getting enough rest, and paying attention to your diet.
Many symptoms of SAD overlap symptoms of MS. Individuals with multiple sclerosis often go through spells of depression and anxiety after being diagnosed with MS. Some MSers describe a roller coaster of emotions, as the emotional and cognitive symptoms of MS start to display themselves. Due to some of the physical symptoms of MS, you may also start to lose interest in some activities you used to enjoy pre-MS. If you start to wonder if you are struggling with an MS spell of depression or SAD, track how often you have these symptoms of depression. If the symptoms only occur during a certain time of the year, for a few years in a row, you may likely be experiencing SAD. If the depression symptoms appear after an exacerbation, you are newly diagnosed, or you have had to make an adaptation because of new physical limitations with your MS, you may be experiencing depression as a result of your MS. Often, too, it helps to look at which came first, the depression or the MS.
Factors that may make SAD more likely include:
- Amount of light
- Body temperature
- Genes
- Hormones
Symptoms usually build up slowly in the late autumn and winter months. Symptoms are usually the same as with depression:
- Eat more and crave carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta.
- Weight gain (weight loss is more common with other forms of depression)
- Sleep more and feel drowsy during the daytime
- Less energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon
- Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Slow, sluggish , movement
- Social withdrawal
- Unhappiness and irritability
- Feel sad, grumpy, moody, or anxious.
- Depression
- Hopelessness
- Anxiety
- Social withdrawal
- Difficulty concentrating and processing information
Some individuals suffer from other types of Seasonal Affective Disorder. One type is known as Spring and Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder, which affects individuals with symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, irritability, agitation, weight loss, poor appetite, and increased sex drive during the spring and summer seasons. A second type, known as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, is more rare and affects people with a mania-type symptoms rather than depression symptoms. According to the Mayo clinic, some symptoms of Reverse SAD are persistently elevated mood, increased social activity, hyperactivity, and enthusiasm out of proportion to the situation.