Seasonal Depression 

By Hailey Mergen 

For many people, winter is the best time of year. The snow makes everything brighter and kids are still excited about their new Christmas presents. However, some people suffer from a thing known to many as Seasonal Depression. This specific form of depression is medically named Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Normally, it occurs during the fall and winter, as the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, and it temporarily fades away during the spring and summer. When asked about her opinion on this disorder, Allison Urick stated, “The winter is a wonderful time of the year for many people, but for some, it causes feelings of sadness and loneliness.” Some symptoms that someone may experience are feelings of hopelessness during the colder seasons, sleeping more than usual, having a lack of energy, gaining weight, or having difficulty concentrating. If a person experiences these symptoms year-round and not just in the winter, that could mean they have a different form of depression. Jesse McMillen stated, “I just get sad when it gets rainy and yucky outside, so I don’t want to go anywhere in the spring.” Only about 5% of people in the United States suffer from SAD, however 10 to 20% of people may experience a less severe sadness in response to winter. It usually affects people between the ages of 18 and 30, but it can affect anyone. To combat this disorder, people can use different therapies and take medications. While this is a less severe form of depression, it should still be treated as it could have lasting effects on the mental health of  a person.