By Emilie Tobin
For most of her life, during the winter months, Jessie-Lee Wallace started feeling depressed for no apparent reason.
“I was negative, lethargic, and I isolated (myself) a lot in the winter,” she says. “I would crave starch and eat a whole loaf of bread at a time. I was 20 pounds heavier because of it.”
It turns out the 24-year-old University of Ottawa student suffered from a specific type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder, popularly known as SAD.
The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that two to three percent of Ontarians suffer from the disorder. It also says that many sufferers don’t know the condition exists or that help is available.
While there is no confirmed cause of the disorder, the health association says it is thought to be related to seasonal change. Sufferers begin to feel depressed during shorter days and reduced daylight hours in the winter. These symptoms usually disappear with the arrival of spring.
Renée Ouimet, a program manager with the association, says the symptoms of the disorder are similar to clinical depression which is why it is commonly misdiagnosed.
These symptoms include craving sweets and starchy foods, weight gain, oversleeping but still feeling fatigued, decreased energy and avoidance of social situations.
“Generally, if the symptoms occur for two consecutive winters, there is a likelihood of SAD,” Ouimet says.
For Wallace, it became difficult for her to meet her goals, pay attention, and get to places during the winter months. “It wasn’t just that I was dragging my feet, it was that I couldn’t get them moving” says the fine arts student.
Wallace was originally diagnosed with low-grade clinical depression, but three years ago, her doctor told her she suffered from the seasonal disorder. At first she didn’t want treatment. “I was defiant and didn’t listen to my doctor,” she says.
This winter, Wallace started taking a mild dose of anti-depressants. She changed her diet, started exercising, and says the results have been positive. “I feel I’m able to deal with my own routine now,” she says.
Another treatment option for sufferers is light therapy. This process involves sitting beside a special fluorescent light box for several minutes a day to mimic the effect of sunlight.
“Light gives us vitamin D and increases our serotonin levels,” says Ouimet. Improving serotonin levels in the brain improves depressive symptoms she adds.
While light therapy is widely used, its medical capabilities haven’t yet been 100 per cent confirmed, says Ouimet.
Light boxes are also quite costly, ranging from $200 to $400.
Although Wallace is unable to afford the light boxes, she has found an alternative.
“I went to Ikea and bought a bunch of really bright light bulbs,” she says. “I turn them on for about an hour a day after sunset and it helps.”
Wallace says she still wants a special light because it was recommended by her doctor. She has recently borrowed one from a friend to see if she should purchase one for herself.
Ouimet recommends that people with mild symptoms go outside for at least half an hour a day, exercise, work near windows or skylights and try to get exposure to as much natural light as possible. For those with severe symptoms, medication is often necessary and anti-depressants are prescribed.
Interested people can easily learn about the disorder, says Ouimet. The health association offers workshops on mental illnesses, including seasonal affective disorder, and list more information on their website, www.cmha.ca.
“So many people talk about the winter blues,” says Ouimet. “It will be interesting to see if more people get help as more information about (seasonal affective disorder) gets out to the public.”