2. Seasonal Affective Disorder
Recurring depression during winter or summer months is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms include sleeping too much, lack of energy, and feeling depressed. Those suffering from this disorder during summer may also experience heightened anxiety and insomnia. Factors that increase the risk of SAD are being female, living far from the equator, having a family history of other types of depression, having bipolar disorder, and being young. Medications used for treatment are antidepressants, usually selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or bupropion. Other forms of therapy include light therapy, psychotherapy, and vitamin D, though vitamin D supplementation is only used in conjunction with another therapy and never by itself. Let’s see what’s on the first place on our list of ways weather affects human behavior and emotions.
