I can’t believe it. Below zero weather and our furnace quit — for the second time in as many days. Thankfully, the woodstove was cranking so the house is still warm. And thankfully, our furnace guy is down in the basement at this moment fixing the problem (we need a new motor.) Still, not a great way to start a new year.

I’ve had it already with this bitterly cold weather. And I heard a rumor that we’re getting another snowstorm before the end of the week. I suppose I shouldn’t complain. I live in Maine, after all. But it sure can drag you down and for some people, it can be a real struggle.

People who live in northern climates, including Maine and the rest of New England — where the winters are long and the days short are at increased risk of having seasonal depression. It can start as early as fall and last well into spring or even early summer.

The exact cause of seasonal depression isn’t known, but it appears to be triggered by lack of sunlight. “Not everybody in Maine gets seasonally depressed or has what we call seasonal affective disorder or SAD,” says University of Maine professor and researcher, Dr. Sandra Sigmon. “Some people are just that more sensitive to the amount of available sunlight and we really don’t know why that is.”

Do you get any of these symptoms every fall/winter?

  • Sadness
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Lack of energy
  • Need for more sleep
  • Carbohydrate craving
  • Weight gain

Coping strategies

Whatever the cause, seasonal depression can be extremely debilitating. Dr. Sigmon has spent two decades researching SAD, including looking at how people cope with it year after year.

“Some people cope with it better than others,” she says. “They have an active strategy. They plan to keep up with their activity level, they do hobbies inside, they plan gardens to plant in the spring. They have some really good coping strategies. Other people just tend to go straight to a depressive episode. I think a lot of it comes about because we have time to think about it and we have so many cues in the environment that signal when it’s coming. For example, when that first leaf falls or if you see on television how many hours of daylight we have and it shows a countdown or you just look at the calendar.”

Treating seasonal depression

Light therapy —10,000 lux, says Dr. Sigmon — the amount of sunshine you’d be exposed to on a bright sunny day, helps a lot of people with seasonal depression. Some individuals may also need to take an antidepressant during fall and winter months. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be a big help. (Simply put, a cognitive behavioral therapist helps people recognize how their thoughts affect their moods and behavior and works with them to replace negative patterns of thought with more positive or healthier patterns.)

A few more recommendations

  • Get out in the natural sunlight as much as you can — at least 15 minutes a day to get the Vitamin D our bodies need. You can take a Vitamin D supplement, but being outside is especially beneficial because it also means you’re more likely to be active.
  • Keep up your normal activity level.
  • Try to eat consistently across all seasons.
  • Develop some hobbies or interests that you can do on longer winter days — and during blizzards.
  • Move to a sunnier location!
  • Inside, try to sit next to a window whenever possible.
  • If it’s a cloudy day, still go outside. Stroll around the block, walk the dog. At least you’ll be doing something.

Understanding depression – its causes and symptoms and how best to treat it can be overwhelmingly complicated. If your symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your everyday life, make an appointment with your doctor or a mental health professional.

Lack of sunlight may be at the root of seasonal depression, but there are other causes of depression — usually a combination of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. What is vitally important is that if you’re feeling sad and you know in your heart that something is wrong, you need to ask for help.

Do you have any strategies that have helped you cope with seasonable depression? Tell us what they are in the comment box below. Thank you!