Updated: 1/8/2009 8:30:02 PM
In past two months, East Tennesseans have seen about 13 days of sunshine. For some people, a string of cloudy days can lead to a feeling of depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is also known as winter depression. The major thing is there is not enough seratonin because of the lack of light.
Sue Mitchell is a therapist at Peninsula. She says gray skies can actually affect how some people feel and act.
"The grumpiness, the moodiness, the weight gain, just confusion not wanting to do the things they used to do."
Seasonal Affective Disorder usually starts in October and November and can last through April or May, but there are solutions.
"You can do anti-depressants. You can also do some therapy, some cognitive behavior therapy is the word they use for it, in other words just talking," Mitchell said.
Plenty of artificial light could also help during rainy days to help offset the moodiness caused by SAD.
"Some techniques where you can do the light, have like a fake sunlight in the morning. You have a light, it goes from off to dim to brighter and brighter, it effectively gives you a sunrise in your bedroom," Mitchell said.
Healthy doses of some outdoor sunlight and activity are some other alternatives. "Light exercise because again it's getting out when the sun comes up first thing in the morning would be more helpful than at night when it's going down
Mitchell says if you have experienced depression during the winter for two years in a row, it may be time for an official diagnosis.
"You need to talk to some sort of professional so it can be diagnosed so they can get you the help most appropriate."
Mitchell says she has seen an increase in clients this winter, but she believes it could be a combination of people experiencing SAD and going through lay-offs during this declining economy.
