新冠肺炎and Seasonal Affective Disorder: How This Year Is Different

如果你现在有蓝色,不要担心你或e not alone. Each year, about 5% of adults in the United States experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD).对于许多人来说，这是一种再次访问秋季到春天的再次疾病，最艰难的月份是1月和2月。

But, as we get closer to winter, many people wonder if this will be the year we see symptoms worsen as we deal with the combination of新冠肺炎, the flu season, and darker, shorter days.

随着天气变得更冷，阳光较冷的时间，重要的是要仔细照顾你的心理健康，以便在海湾保持悲伤。万博手机客户端

什么是季节性情感障碍？

According to Souzan Swift, PsyD, a psychologist atHeal(an at-home visit healthcare service), people with SAD usually find relief from symptoms as it gets closer to spring.

During the winter months, people with SAD show symptoms more than any other time of the year. If you are experiencing depression symptoms year-round, your doctor will likely consider a diagnosis of major depression.

但为什么冬季较暗的日子会导致抑郁症状增加？有些人悲伤的原因是未知的。然而，NIMH表示，研究人员可以根据您是否呈现以下生物学线索来得出结论：

• Trouble regulating serotonin—one of the neurotransmitters involved in dictating your mood
• 过量生产褪黑激素
• A decrease in the production of vitamin D

Why This Year Is Different

Dealing with SAD during a pandemic thatlimits social interaction，许多人正在经历增加的紧张和焦虑。此外，家庭的工作损失和学校工作的变化可能导致抑郁症状令人满意。

“We don’t know for certain how COVID-19 will impact SAD as this is the first winter we are experiencing this kind of stress and fear in the world; however, with COVID-19 still being a major concern, those with SAD may find it more difficult to overcome the symptoms,” Swift says.

We are also nearingseveral major holidays，并且不太可能与往年一样的庆祝活动和聚会。Swift说，许多人都将难以应对，包括悲伤的人。

Not to mention that SAD is already underdiagnosed and undertreated as many individuals attempt to simply deal with the symptoms without anyphototherapy,psychotropic药物或治疗。

Leela R. Magavi, MD, an adolescent and child psychiatrist and regional medical director forCommunity Psychiatry, says many clinicians do not ask about how seasons affect mood as there are so many other things to cover during the session, and some individuals minimize their symptoms as they experience guilt and shame or feel weak conveying that the weather affects their mood.

“今年，个人可能第一次体验悲伤的症状，或者他们可能会遇到严重的悲伤症状，这会影响他们照顾自己和他们所爱的人的能力，”马格纳维说。

我们中的许多人由于有限的社会互动，缺乏常规，失去工作，政治气候和各种各样的心理社会压力源而已经遇到抑郁和焦虑症状。Magavi表示，季节性变化仅加剧了消失，冷漠，疲劳和烦躁。

Julian Lagoy, MD, a psychiatrist withCommunity Psychiatry, shares the same concerns as Swift and Magavi and points out that the combination of COVID, the winter season, and seasonal affective disorder has never happened before in human history, and things will be much harder for people with SAD this year. “They will be at higher risk for depression since the pandemic is making everything more stressful, lonely, and depressing for everyone already,” he says.

He also expresses concern about new cases since everyone is more isolated and lonely, and the majority of people spend less time outside in natural sunlight, which increases the risk of developing seasonal affective disorder and depression.

悲伤的症状

While symptoms may vary depending on the time of year, the NIMH says the signs and symptoms of SAD are similar to major depression symptoms.

要意识到的迹象和症状包括：

• Feeling depressed most of the day, almost every day
• Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, and/or hopelessness
• Low energy and fatigue
• Low mood
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much (hypersomnia)
• 暴饮暴食
• 重量变化，大多数通常重量增益
• Irritability
• 难以集中光
• Isolation and social withdrawal
• Carb cravings

SAD in Children

成年人不是悲伤影响的人口。儿童和青少年在冬季，也面临季节性抑郁症。Magavi说，差异是，悲伤的患者在儿童中不同，并且可能表现为烦躁。“孩子们可能不会直接传达他们悲伤，但可能表现出显着的悲伤，根本或情绪反应性，”她说。

They may also present with a constricted affect and respond to exciting news with apathy. And some kids will struggle with sustaining attention and retaining information, which Magavi says can lead to them repeating themselves or asking the same question repeatedly.

During the fall and winter months, Magavi says many parents express frustration with the morning routine since children with SAD often struggle with daytime sleepiness. Children of all ages may express disinterest in playing with their favorite toys or with their closest friends.

Tips for Treating and Managing SAD

随着天气变得更冷，阳光较冷的时间，重要的是要仔细照顾你的心理健康，以便在海湾保持悲伤。万博手机客户端除了专业/医疗计划外，鼓励努力悲伤的个人寻求帮助在家管理症状的方法。

Engage in Social Activities

Lagoy说，悲伤的人应该与他们的朋友和亲人保持密切接触，因为寂寞和孤立使得悲伤更糟的影响。

Self-Care Strategies

Swift recommends setting and maintaining a daily routine, eating healthy foods, and gettingregular exercise。对每个人来说，自我照顾看起来不同，因此要注意你的需求就很重要。

几乎是互动

从事社交活动可以帮助缓解悲伤的症状，但是，Swift说，由于天气，冬季几个月将很难做到这一点。虽然几乎可能与这些活动感觉不一样，但她说要继续这样做是很重要的，因为这将有助于您感受并保持与他人相连。

在泡沫中寻求社交互动

Swift suggests that you continue to plan your winter activities with your immediate family and friends (those you have been quarantined with) but do so safely. “Don’t allow the inability to gather with ‘everyone’ for big events stop you from enjoying the things you can do,” she says. Plan a holiday dinner at home with your friends and family in your “bubble” or go for a drive to see holiday lights. In other words, get creative!

Psychotherapy

Talking with a professional can be helpful in identifying negative thought patterns, coping strategies, and ways to improve self-care. Swift points out that people reluctant to come in for an office visit during the pandemic shouldconsider teletherapy。

药物

If you are being treated for SAD, your doctor may recommend an antidepressant, which can be helpful for some. The combination of medication and talk therapy proves to be more effective in treating depression than either of these treatments alone, according to a 2014 meta-analysis published in世界精神病学。

Maximize Light In Your House

Lagoy建议在您家中打开所有百叶窗，以便该房子在秋季和冬季的秋季拥有更自然的光线。

Light Therapy

由于悲伤与较短的日子联系起来，秋季和冬季的阳光下降，光线疗法可用于帮助在那些月内取代缺乏阳光。光线疗法或光疗，因为它经常被称为，涉及日常接触人工阳光。

“光疗法可以通过刺激连接到下丘脑的视网膜细胞来规范化昼夜节律，”马格纳维说。季节性变化和暴露于阳光下降可能会破坏褪黑激素和血清素水平，并且血清素和褪黑素水平的波动可能会对您的睡眠，情绪和整体功能产生不利影响。

Magavi recommends sitting by a灯箱for 30 minutes or as long as possible in the morning. Light boxes usually provide 10,000 lux (lux is a light intensity measurement). Magavi says it’s important to point out that light boxes are not FDA approved, and they do not necessitate a prescription.

A Word From Verywell

We are all feeling the effects of the pandemic. For some, it is exacerbating existing conditions such as seasonal affective disorder, but for others, it is bringing on new symptoms they’ve never experienced. This year presents new challenges for people with SAD as we spend more time practicing social distancing and caring for our health. Darker days and colder weather also mean more time indoors, which means less time with friends and family.

如果你正在经历季节性affec的症状tive disorder, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with a physician as soon as possible. Additionally, if you or your child has a history of SAD, don’t wait for symptoms to surface. Schedule an appointment early on, so your doctor or mental health expert can come up with atreatment plan为了你。