Have you noticed yourself feeling demotivated, groggy or just a little lazy over the past few months?
It’s a pretty common feeling for people who live in the cold climates and the winter settles in. But for some people it’s more than just the winter blues, it’s a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder.
If you've found yourself daydreaming of the waves crashing on the beach and the hot sun beating down on your skin, you’re not alone.
These feelings usually creep in during the cold, dark winter months. 14 percent of Americans report having the winter blues, says psychiatrist Dr. Rolando Larice.
"Feeling sad, issues with the family just being tired, cabin fever," explained Dr. Larice.
He says those feelings should not be confused with the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
"It’s a serious condition and it has to be addressed," said Dr. Larice.
SAD is a form of depression. 9 percect of Americans live with it and it affects more women than men.
Dr. Larice says these symptoms include, "you want to oversleep, you're hypersensitive, you have reckless behavior, gambling, you might self-medicate with drugs or alcohol."
The lack of sunlight and Vitamin D in the winter is what causes seasonal depression. So, in order to treat it.
"Good healthy diet, go outside, exercise, exposure to sunlight," he said.
Even just sitting in front of a window that has sunlight shining in can be helpful. There are also natural lights you can buy for indoors or you can take Vitamin D supplements. If none of that works and you're still feeling down, Dr. Larice suggests seeing a specialist for anti-depressants and therapy.
