The winter blues is a real thing, and it is affecting University of Alabama students, said Lee N. Keyes, Ph.D, executive director of the UA Counseling Center.
Keyes said the unusual lack of sunlight in recent months has led to a noticeable increase in patients at the counseling center. In fact, he said he’s treated three patients for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that arises when a person lacks the natural vitamin D emitted from the sun.
“This year since about Christmas time and now we’ve had an unusual lack of sunlight,” Keyes said. “[SAD] is usually much more common in the northern latitudes.”
Keyes said 5 percent of people in northern states suffer from SAD but the number in the south is usually much lower.
“Where I’m from it gets really dark out [during winter], so it’s easy for everyone to feel kind of down,” said Parker Jamerson, a freshman majoring in journalism from Nashua, N.H. “There’s definitely more sunlight here [during winter] so it’s a little more cheerful.”
Joseph Kilcarr, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering from Washington D.C., said he doesn’t just feel down when it’s gloomy out – usually he feels demotivated.
“If there’s a lack of sunlight reaching the eyes, it makes you less active,” Kilcarr said. “Light makes you more likely to go out and do something than just kind of laze about. I’ve actually had a lot more sunlight back home than I’ve had here. More recently it’s been more cloudy during the week, and I usually feel lazier when it’s cloudier – the lack of motivation is stronger on cloudy days.”
SAD is relatively easily remedied, though. Keyes said the solution to a lack of sunlight is simply to expose yourself to more of it, even if it is artificial light.
“If you do in fact have [SAD], there are some very simple intervening [methods] like making time to take a walk every day, you can get some sunlight if you did that, or if you are able sit in front of a south-facing window when you do your homework,” he said.
Keyes recommended purchasing a broadband light bulb. He said there are also special lights, sometimes called SAD lights, which are placed in visor caps.
Keyes said the good news, though, is that SAD is actually a rare diagnosis and typically is not the sole cause of depression cases. Instead, it often exacerbates cases that are already present.
“Keep in mind that there could be other factors involved,” Keyes said. “This is also a time of year where there’s much less excitement on campus and people might be more likely to be bored. People who are depressed tend to distance themselves. They may find it difficult to get out of bed. I’d like to remind students that we’re available for them; they can come in and meet with us. It’s better to do it earlier than later. I’d also like to encourage students to visit our website, counseling.ua.edu.”
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