A student walks into Liberty on the first day of school, and the whole place is buzzing; the day is bright, and everyone is excited to start the year. The first couple months of the year continue this energy. As the days become darker and colder in later months, however, the mood starts to shift. People appear more tired, stressed, and anxious.
This whirlpool of winter weariness is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.
“SAD is a mood disorder that typically affects people when there is little warmth or sunlight outside,” school psychologist Lisa Coleman said.
Even though it was described for the first time in 1984, this disorder has been around for much longer, and the root cause has to do with human psychology.
“Scientists have theorized that with less sunlight and shorter days, the brain can experience chemical changes that disrupt the circadian rhythms of the body’s internal clock,” Coleman said.
According to Coleman, it can affect any age demographic, but it usually starts when a person is 18 to 30 years old.
“Teenagers can experience many symptoms from SAD, including being less focused in school,” Coleman said.
Many students have experienced this change, and some–such as senior and winter-sport athlete Trenton Pham–have mixed feelings about it.
“I feel a lot moodier in the fall, especially after daylight savings,” Pham said. “But I don’t feel too much of an impact negatively.”
One of the reasons for this is because Pham balances out the negative emotions from the weather with pleasant experiences like connecting with his friends.
“When I’m driving home from North Seattle after swim practice, I’ll usually try to call my friend so that I can have more enjoyable moments,” Pham said.
Indeed, methods like these–according to Coleman–are a great way to treat SAD.
“It’s important to have good self-care if you have symptoms–exercise, get fresh air, etc.,” Coleman said. “Talking to people can also be very helpful in battling SAD.”
“I also encourage students to find things that help soothe them, whether it be listening to a podcast, going to Crumbl with friends, or taking their dog on a hike,” Coleman said.
Despite her newness to Liberty, Coleman recognizes the problems that SAD has the potential to create in the Liberty community, presenting one final solution.
“We live in a climate where kids can be easily susceptible to SAD,” Coleman said. “Reaching out to a trusted adult can help develop coping skills and strategies.”
