Quick PSA: Seasonal Affective Disorder... | Georgia Telehealth Therapy

Every autumn, an estimated 5% of US adults undergo a predictable shift in energy and personality. For these individuals, the vibrant baseline of summer gives way to a dimmer winter version of themselves. This experience is often minimized as the winter blues with the assumption that the change is simply a reaction to freezing wind, gray skies, or the inconvenience of cold weather. However, external temperature is a secondary factor. The true catalyst is the reduction of ambient daylight as the Earth tilts away from the sun. Framing this as a mere dislike of winter weather ignores a measurable neurobiological reaction to the shortening of the solar day. Because of the cultural link between seasonal moods and cold climates, many

assume these episodes only affect people in northern regions like the Pacific Northwest or the Midwest. Even in a southern state like Georgia, the change in light is significant. Between solstesses, the state loses over 4 hours of daylight. Migration paths show people moving from cloudier regions into Georgia bring a lingering biological vulnerability to these changes. While the local temperature may remain mild through November, geographical warmth does not insulate the brain from the biological effects of a shrinking solar day. When the eye receives less morning sunlight over consecutive weeks, the brain's internal clock loses the primary signal it uses to regulate the body's systems. As days shorten, circadian rhythms disrupt. The brain produces less mood stabilizing serotonin

and overproduces sleepinducing melatonin. These chemical changes drive atypical symptoms. Unlike chronic depressions, insomnia, and weight loss, this seasonal pattern triggers hyperomnia, weight gain, and intense carbohydrate cravings, sufferers frequently report a sensation of letin paralysis where the limbs feel physically heavy and difficult to move, leading to prolonged social withdrawal. The body is following a misfired hibernation protocol, mistaking the loss of light for a biological requirement to conserve energy through the winter. Clinicians classify this condition in the DSM5 as major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern. For a diagnosis, the same cluster of symptoms must emerge during the same season for at least two consecutive years. This biological cycle is why pushing through it is rarely effective. The

disorder itself impairs behavioral activation, making it difficult to engage in the very activities that might improve mood. Because this is a cyclical diagnosible medical condition, management depends on clinical intervention rather than individual willpower. As daylight increases in the spring and summer, these symptoms subside and the body and mind return to a baseline state. This relief makes it easy to believe the issue is resolved permanently, leading many to avoid seeking help for the episode they just experienced. In a clinical context, this return to normal during the spring is actually the final symptom required to confirm the seasonal diagnosis. Without intervention, the neurobiological loop remains intact, ready to repeat when the light begins to fade the following

autumn. To break this cycle, clinicians use environmental interventions. The first line of defense is a 10,000 lux light box used for 20 to 30 minutes within the first hour of waking. Clinical support may also include FDA approved extended release buproprium or guided vitamin D supplementation to address common winter deficiencies. Specialists also utilize CBT SAD, a cognitive behavioral protocol that addresses winter specific thought patterns and helps the patient maintain activity through the darker months. A professional assessment is necessary to distinguish this disorder from other health issues and planning is most effective when started before the annual cycle begins. Coping and Healing Counseling offers these assessments and treatments through a 100% teaalth practice serving all 159 Georgia

counties. They are in network with major commercial plans and provide services with 0 co-pays for Medicaid patients. If you notice a winter version of yourself returning year after year, contact coping and healing counseling at chc theapy.com to discuss a plan for the seasons ahead.