Students Grapple with Seasonal Affective Disorder

In the season of 4:30 p.m. sunsets and flurries flying up nostrils, students may find themselves curling up under any spare ray of sunshine they can find, reminiscing of warmer days. 

Working hand-in-hand with the impenetrable darkness and finger-numbing cold is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), better known by its colloquial name “seasonal depression.”

SAD is not a separate disorder from depression — it’s a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern in either winter or summer, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 

The most common of the SAD patterns is winter depression, according to NIMH. 

Some students said they are affected by winter’s shortened daylight hours and brutal cold. Dr. Jesse Herron, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner from Loyola’s Wellness Center, said he sees a large number of students who seek treatment for depression around this time of year.

For Rayyan Hyder, a senior neuroscience major, seasonal depression starts to hit during the spring semester.

“It starts to feel like every day is the same,” Hyder said. “It’s not boring, but it’s sad and dull. The same old routine over and over.”

Computer science major Libby Bastow said she was also affected by this gradual, day-by-day slipping that accompanies the eventual fall into SAD.

“It was such a subtle change that by the time I realized what had happened, I was so depressed that it was hard to do anything about it,” Bastow, 18, said.

First-year Mekaela Kaji said she was surprised by the effects of seasonal depression, as SAD had not been an issue in her sunny Californian home. 

“I thought that seasonal depression was going to be like a snap, like very quick and onset, but it wasn’t,” Kaji said. “It was like little changes. I was a little grumpier every single day and I just couldn’t figure out why.”

In addition to the seemingly inexplicable surliness, the cognitive neuroscience major said she felt exhausted and suffered from a lack of motivation. Kaji said it felt like someone was nagging her all day, saying, “Go to bed. Go be sad somewhere else.” 

Junior biology major Sarah Haseeb said she experienced the same kind of tugging at her mind, with an urge to succumb to lethargy.

“It’s really hard to tell yourself, ‘Okay, now it’s time to get up and get your assignments done,’” Haseeb, 20, said. “Especially when it’s cold outside, I just feel like staying in bed. I don’t feel like actually getting up and doing things.”

In an effort to push back against the sluggishness bolstered by seasonal affective disorder, Haseeb recommended seeking out a community to talk to.

“Even if you’re talking to them for like five minutes, 10 minutes, just catching up, that interaction that you have with somebody really wakes you up,” the biology major said. 

In a more serious approach, having conversations with someone specifically about seasonal depression can help alleviate its burden.

“A lot of people are going through the same thing,” Haseeb said. “Just talking to people and sharing your experience with them makes you feel like, ‘Okay, I’m not alone in this.’”

Bastow agreed with this recommendation and said communicating with people about mental illness was helpful in figuring out how to best handle her depression. 

“It’s hard to reach out and talk to someone about it, but it’s definitely the right thing to do and you won’t regret doing it,” the first-year said.

Another simple self-care tip for seasonal depression is breaking the monotony of the everyday routine. According to Mekaela Kaji, an easy way to achieve this is by dipping into the dining dollars fund and splurging on a snack to break the repetitiveness of dining hall meals.

Another good way for the average college student to alleviate SAD is to take walks before sunset Kaji said.

“Taking a walk is so tedious and I hate it sometimes, but after a 15 minute walk I just feel so much better,” Kaji, 18, said. “Get the old joints moving and see a wee bit of the sun. It’s great.”

For Loyola students currently suffering from seasonal affective disorder, the Wellness Center offers brief, individual psychotherapy services. For students who may require additional support, the center offers evaluation and treatment by psychiatrists and doctorally prepared psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, according to Dr. Herron.

The initial phone consultation used to schedule these services can be set up online or by calling 773-508-2530.

Dr. Herron also recommends activities such as exercising regularly, eating a well-balanced diet and getting at least 20 minutes of sun exposure each day to encourage mindfulness and de-stress during this bleak season.

For mental health help after Wellness Center operational hours, students can call 773-508-2530 and press three, according to the Wellness Center’s home webpage.

A guide to navigating Loyola’s mental health resources can be found on The Phoenix’s webpage.

Additionally, Ashlar the therapy dog is available on campus for stress-relieving cuddles.