If you experience these symptoms in autumn and winter, beware of seasonal depression!

Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal mood disorder, occurs at the same time every year, often starting in late autumn and early winter. It is a mental illness that has a great impact on the patient's daily life and physical and mental health. Patients will experience symptoms such as decreased appetite, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating. Seasonal depression can be prevented, but how can we do it?

1. What is seasonal depression?

If depression recurs in autumn and winter, it is medically called seasonal depression. Seasonal depression is a special type of major depressive episode. The disease usually starts in late autumn, and symptoms worsen as the amount of sunlight decreases in winter; they gradually ease as the amount of sunlight increases.

2. Symptoms of seasonal depression:

There are some differences in clinical manifestations between seasonal depression and typical depression. Early awakening, decreased appetite, and weight loss are rare, while excessive sleep, increased appetite, and weight gain are common.

3. Causes of seasonal depression:

There are many reasons for seasonal depression, one of the most important of which is the reduction in daylight hours. Sunlight can inhibit the secretion of melatonin, and in autumn and winter, due to reduced sunlight exposure, melatonin levels in the body increase. Melatonin has the function of regulating other hormones in the human body. When its level increases, hormones such as thyroid hormone and adrenaline that can arouse cell excitement will decrease, and then depressive symptoms such as low mood will appear. In high-latitude areas, where seasonal changes are obvious and daylight hours are short, the prevalence of seasonal depression is higher. In addition, the body's metabolism slows down in autumn and winter, the heart rate and breathing slow down, and the brain is deprived of oxygen, which is also one of the reasons for the easy occurrence of depressive symptoms.

4. How to prevent seasonal depression?

First of all, adjusting your lifestyle, getting more sun exposure and exercising properly are good solutions. Secondly, for patients who have been diagnosed with depression in the past, maintenance medication treatment is essential. In addition, family members should provide adequate psychological support. For patients who have never been diagnosed before, they should pay attention to identifying their depression symptoms in a timely manner. Once they find that depression affects their daily life, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

In short, as long as we have a full understanding of seasonal depression, understand the impact of autumn and winter on human emotions, arrange work and life in an orderly manner, pay attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, get more sun, eat a balanced diet, and adhere to drug treatment, the recurrence of seasonal depression can be prevented.