Winter Blues

Snow is falling, people are talking and laughing with one another, and yet many students can’t seem to find the energy to pull themselves out of bed. During this time of the year especially, many college students find themselves going out with friends less, sleeping more, and lacking the energy or motivation to finish projects or school work. And it’s due to more than just the end-of-the-year-laziness.  

Seasonal Depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a depression that can effect anyone. This type of depression reoccurs at the same time throughout the year, most often in the winter months. Commonly, the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, SAD, will begin to show in September or October, worsen in the winter months, and begin to dissipate in April or May. People who live farther from the equator are at a bigger risk for developing SAD, as the daylight hours are shorter than in other regions. The most common targets, however, are people in their late teens to early twenties. This puts college students right on the bulls eye for being at risk.

This also puts Plymouth State University, being well known for its snowy months and long winters, at an ideal place for students to develop this type of depression.

While many of the symptoms of SAD may not seem very serious at the time, many students don’t realize that this depression could effect them long term if not treated. Some of these symptoms include a decrease in energy, trouble concentrating, fatigue, increased appetite, low sex drive, irritability, and weight gain. To many students, these may just seem like the effects of stress and a large work load, but more often than not it’s much more than that.

The best thing to do if these symptoms are present is to talk to a doctor. Medication and anti-depressants can be prescribed to better this condition and help cope with the effects. Without treatment, the symptoms will continue returning yearly and may worsen as time goes on. Help can be found on campus at the Health Center, located behind Hyde Hall at 16 Merrill Street. The Health Center is open Monday and Wednesday from 8 to 4:30, as well as Tuesday and Thursday from 8 to 5 and Friday from 8 to 3. They can also be reached by telephone at (603)535-2350.