January is notorious for being the “blah” month. No holidays, no school breaks, and no sunlight. Just slush, sadness, and seemingly sad skies. The sun goes down at 5 p.m. which is just a constant reminder of the holidays and summer months being so far out of reach.
January tends to be named as the “Monday of the Months” because every day of January feels like waking up on a Monday of the longest week ever. But, why is January so hard on students, specifically? January comes right after the longest in-school break of the year. Winter Break is something renowned by most students and waited on by teachers, so coming back from the festive, free two-ish weeks is like a death sentence. But another reason for the winter month downer is seasonal sadness.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. It’s different from just being, well, sad. SAD has a few specific things to catch on to. The health department of The University of Utah released an interview with Psychiatrist Jason Hunziker, MD, about SAD. He said, “The way you can tell is if this lasts every day for at least two weeks, where you’re feeling so terrible that you don’t want to get out of bed, where you feel like you have to sleep all of the time. You have absolutely no energy, or interest, or desire to do anything with anyone. You notice that you’re eating a ton, particularly carbohydrates.” He also described how people in Utah are so prone to this disorder because of daylight savings. People leave their homes before the sun rises, work all day normally indoors, and then come home after the sun sets.
“So, depression can be extremely dangerous, and suicides rates, particularly in Utah, are quite high. And if depression of any type goes unchecked, it can lead to people thinking about ending their life, which is extremely important. So, any time you’re experiencing a depressed mood, it should be evaluated, at least by your primary care doctor, to see if something else needs to be done,” Hunziker said. A lot of people don’t know how to distinguish between SAD and just being sad. To avoid SAD, it’s best to just try the short-term solutions if any symptoms occur.
Depression is a hard thing to deal with, and talk about, especially with seasonal depression coming out of the blue. It can feel uncomfortable, or burdening, but baby steps in good, healthy directions should be available. According to Sue Pavlovich of the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA), there are a few things that could help those affected by SAD. “Everyone’s affected differently by SAD, so what works for one person won’t for another,” she says. “But there’s usually something that will help, so don’t give up if the first remedy you try doesn’t work. Just keep trying.”
Keeping active and getting outside can give you a strong release of endorphins that can trigger a positive response in the body. Also keeping warm can help, so get a cute little stuffed warm pet for some easy, cute hot pad-ness. If the lack of sunlight is getting you down, talking to your parents, or bosses about getting a sunlight box could help. Take up a new hobby, join a club or do something to get yourself out of routine and into those sweet, sweet serotonin releases. Eat warm food you like, hang out with friends or watch a new movie – there are so many ways to try to help yourself out of a funk.
It’s never a bad idea to reach out if you notice yourself or any of your friends, peers, or teachers struggling. Just a conversation with a friend can make January a little less hard. There are so many people out there to help and support you, so don’t be afraid to voice your concerns or needs. You are important, and you don’t have to go through the “Monday of the Months” alone.