Gloomy days can spark seasonal disorder

Light therapy, lifestyle changes can help alleviate depression

Winter’s here, which means it’s dark by 5 p.m.

For most people, that’s not a big deal. But for about 10 percent of the population it can trigger something called Seasonal Affective Disorder.

“For me, it’s like I have this huge mountain to climb every day – it’s like this every winter,” said a Lawrence man who has Seasonal Affective Disorder, a subtype of depression.

The man requested anonymity. He’s a participant in Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC), a Kansas University-based program that treats depression with lifestyle changes rather than medication.

“I can sit and plan out the next day, but then nothing happens,” he said. “I go to work, but I have less energy. I sit and I ruminate. I don’t interact with people as much as I usually do. At the end of the day, it’s like I haven’t done anything.”

Various symptoms

Studies have found that between 20 percent and 30 percent of the people diagnosed with major depression have Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Lack of daylight can cause some people to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, a subtype of depression. Lightboxes can help alleviate symptoms, according to Leslie Karwoski, Therapeutic Lifestyle Change project coordinator.

“Overall, up to 10 percent of the population at large has some of the symptoms but not enough to be diagnosed with a major depressive disorder,” said Leslie Karwoski, TLC project coordinator.

At their worst, the symptoms include thoughts of suicide, unexplained feelings of guilt or worthlessness, loss of interest in things once enjoyed and feeling down or depressed most of the day for several days.

Other symptoms: Irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, oversleeping, and craving sweets or carbohydrates, especially in the afternoon.

“One of the really interesting things about Seasonal Affective Disorder is how some of the depressive symptoms are so atypical,” Karwoski said, noting that most people with major depression have trouble sleeping and notice a marked loss of appetite.

“But with Seasonal Affective Disorder they’ll typically have trouble getting out of bed in the morning and they’ll gain a substantial amount of weight over the winter,” she said.

Studies have linked Seasonal Affective Disorder to a lessened exposure to sunlight.

“Because the days are shorter and because so many people work inside, it’s hard to get enough sunlight,” Karwoski said. “And then, because it’s cold, they tend to stay inside more.”

Some remedies

Those with Seasonal Affective Disorder are urged to get 30 to 60 minutes of sunlight a day – without sunglasses. If they can’t, artificial light will suffice.

“The most prescribed is 10,000 lux,” Karwoski said. “That’s about what you’d get outside on a reasonably sunny day.”

Specially made lightboxes are available for Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferers. Most cost between $170 and $300.

“People have the impression that lightboxes are huge, unwieldy contraptions when, really, they’re more like a glorified desk lamp,” Karwoski said. “You can set it up on kitchen table while you’re eating your breakfast cereal or watching the morning news.”

Most people, she said, respond to “light therapy” within two to five days.

“The response rate – between 60 and 90 percent – is about the same for antidepressant medications,” Karwoski said. “But most people don’t feel the effects of medication for several weeks.”

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center urges its clients to make an effort to get more sunlight in the winter months.

“Clearly, getting outside and exercising are the preferred remedies,” said Eunice Ruttinger, director of adult services at Bert Nash. “An hour in the sun will have a definite impact on the symptoms.”

It’s worked for the man in the TLC group, though he takes medication as well.

“If it’s sunny in the morning, I will have my coffee on the balcony and look into the sky,” he said. “If it’s cloudy, I have my coffee and read the newspaper with my lightbox.

“It’s helped me a lot. I can tell, even though I’m still on medication,” he said. “In the future, I want to get to the point where I am no longer on medication.”

TLC’s therapy model was originated by KU psychology professor Steve Ilardi.