Is It Depression or Just the Winter Blues? 5 Telltale Signs

As we head from fall into the winter months, many people sink into a depressed state. But, it’s important to understand what’s causing that state. For some, it’s a case of the winter blues, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For others, it’s a case of major depression. But how do you know which of the two you have?

At Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Kanwaljit “Kavi” Sidhu, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, and our staff diagnose and treat depression of all forms at our Palm Harbor, Florida, office. If your mood is tanking along with the weather, here’s what you need to know about potential causes and treatment.

What are the winter blues?

SAD is a form of depression that occurs due to the change in seasons. For most people, it starts in the fall and extends through the winter months, following the same pattern each year. Some people, though, experience it in the spring and summer. For both, symptoms may emerge slowly, becoming more severe as time goes on.

The key reason for the development of depressive symptoms is the shorter days and lack of sufficient sunlight, which can reduce the amount of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, in the brain. As the days get shorter and the light less bright, the brain responds by producing less serotonin, and you develop symptoms similar to those of major depression.

In the United States, people living in the northern portions of the country are more at risk for SAD. Some 1 in 20 people in these regions have symptoms suggestive of SAD. The condition is believed to run in families, and it’s more common in women, as is major depression.

For the fall-winter variety of SAD, symptoms generally develop in October, worsen with the end of daylight saving time, and worsen more severely in November. January and February are the months with the most severe symptoms.

Symptoms of SAD may include:

Feeling sad, irritable, or hopeless
Loss of interest in hobbies or social events
Change in appetite
Change in sleep patterns
Fatigue
Feeling worthless or excessively guilty
Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making minor decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide

SAD can be treated with light therapy, psychotherapy, and/or medications to normalize neurotransmitter levels.

What is depression?

Depression, also called major depressive disorder (MDD), is a serious mental disorder that negatively impacts how you feel, think, act, and perceive the world.

According to a 2023 national survey, 29% of US adults have been diagnosed with MDD at some point during their lives. and about 18% currently experience it. It may develop at any time and at any age, but it usually appears during your late teens to mid-20s.

Symptoms of MDD are similar to those of SAD, as they’re both forms of depression.

Depression is usually treated with a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication, most commonly medications like SSRIs and SNRIs that increase levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, thus evening out mood. However, these medications can take six to eight weeks to build up to a therapeutic level, and they don’t help everyone.

About 30% of people who try at least two different antidepressants at therapeutic levels don’t respond to the medications, leading to treatment-resistant depression (TRD). For these people, Spravato®, a nasal spray formulated from the anesthetic ketamine, and which works on dopamine, not serotonin, can prove helpful.

Depression or the winter blues?

Though SAD and MDD present with similar symptoms, there are five good ways to tell them apart.

SAD appears with the changing of seasons, at the same time each year; MDD occurs year-round
SAD responds to light therapy, while MDD doesn’t
SAD responds to vitamin D therapy, while MDD doesn’t
Vacationing in a warm, sunny location can temporarily relieve SAD symptoms, but not those of MDD
Depression around the winter holidays that wasn’t there before is a sign of MDD, not SAD

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of any form of depression, our team at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic can help. Call our office at 727-382-1383 to schedule a consultation, or contact us online today.