Winter isn’t all newly-fallen snow and snow angels. For some, the cold temperatures and lack of sunlight bring feelings of depression.
Counseling Consultation Services and Student Services will hold a session today entitled “Life Skills for Dummies: Beating the Winter Blues” to discuss how to deal with the effects of winter months.
“The discussion is open to any graduate and undergraduate student,” said Kirsten Bergquist, graduate administrative associate for Student Services.
The discussion will be held at noon at the Ohio Union in Buckeye Suites F and G.
Organizers hope to raise awareness of depression and other psychological disorders attributed to winter months, specifically Seasonal Affective Disorder.
SAD is a form of clinical depression which occurs in the fall and winter months, primarily in temperate zones such as the United States, said Lali McCubbin, a counselor at Counseling Consultation Services.
The disorder occurs when sunlight diminishes as the days get shorter. Researchers believe as sunlight becomes less available, biochemical changes occur in the brain, which can lead to depression.
“There must be a specific pattern involved for SAD to be diagnosed. Onset is in the fall and winter months then it recedes in spring and summer,” said Antonella Stimac Bath, also a counselor at Counseling Consultation services.
Symptoms of SAD include low energy, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, inability to enjoy normal activities, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, craving carbohydrates, tendency to oversleep and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts.
“Seventy-five percent of cases are women, but men and children can also get SAD,” McCubbin said. “Onset of the disorder usually occurs in a person’s 20s, but it varies and depends.”
While SAD affects about five to 10 percent of the U.S. population, the “winter blues,” a more mild form of SAD, is two to three times more common.
Someone with the winter blues has some of the more mild symptoms of SAD but does not have a full case of the disorder.
“Symptoms of the winter blues really depends on the person,” Stimac Bath said. “They may notice the symptoms. They don’t feel quite like themselves, but it may not be significantly impacting their lives.”
Counseling Consultation Services is open to any enrolled student seeking help. A limited amount of counseling sessions are available at no fee, depending on the need of each student.
