October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression linked to seasonal changes, typically beginning when fall starts and intensifying during late fall or early winter.

What’s the difference between SAD and the “winter blues”?

Many people feel a little down during colder months because they are stuck inside, and it gets dark early. These feelings, often called the “winter blues,” are temporary. SAD is a clinical form of depression that affects your daily life, including how you feel and think. SAD can last up to five months of the year.

What causes SAD?

About 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD. It tends to start in young adulthood. SAD may be caused by reduced serotonin and vitamin D levels, altered melatonin levels, decreased sunlight and shorter days.

What are the symptoms of SAD?

If you have SAD, you may experience mood changes and symptoms of depression, including:

• Persistent sadness
• Increased anxiety
• Food cravings and weight gain
• Extreme fatigue and low energy
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Social withdrawal
• Sleep disturbances

What are treatment options for SAD?

Treatment should be tailored to you and supervised by a healthcare professional. Options include:

• Spending time outdoors—Getting more sunlight can help improve your symptoms.
• Light therapy—Using a light therapy box daily helps regulate circadian rhythms and boost mood.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy—This treatment helps identify and change negative thought patterns.
• Vitamin D—A supplement may help if a deficiency is present.
• Medication—Antidepressants may be prescribed for severe cases.

For more on Seasonal Affective Disorder, visit our website for National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, MagellanHealthcare.com/Mental-Health, and be sure to check out the suicide prevention tip sheets and awareness campaign toolkit.

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic
• NIMH

Untreated mental illness costs the United States up to $300 billion every year.[1] It is the leading cause of disability and the third most expensive medical condition in terms of total health spending, behind cancer and traumatic injury.

Given that one in five Americans suffers from a mental illness in a given year[3], and that the average delay between the onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years[4], mental health screening should be considered just as important as regular medical exams.

Many physicians integrate screening to diagnose mental health conditions as part of primary care. It gives a PCP a picture of the patient’s emotional state and helps determine if symptoms they are experiencing are an indication of a mental health condition or an underlying physical health condition. Magellan Healthcare supports primary care screening and treatment with our Behavioral Health Toolkit at MagellanPCPtoolkit.com

Online screening and digital screening are two of the quickest and easiest ways to determine if a patient is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. A PCP may ask a patient to complete a questionnaire online before a visit, or a PCP may ask a patient to answer a few questions on a tablet or form while you they are at the office.

Based on the results, the PCP can recommend treatment options, such as digital or in-person therapy, a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist, or a referral to the patient’s health plan’s case management team.

Early identification and intervention lead to better outcomes and can reduce long-term disabilities and prevent years of suffering.

To learn more, visit magellanhealthcare.com/mental-health. You’ll find information about mental health conditions and links to evidence-based screening tools you can do yourself. If any screener indicates a problem, consult a healthcare professional immediately.

[1] National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.) FY 2018 Funding for mental health. Retrieved October 7, 2020 from https://www.nami.org/getattachment/Get-Involved/NAMI-National-Convention/Convention-Program-Schedule/Hill-Day-2017/FINAL-Hill-Day-17-Leave-Behind-Appropriations.pdf

[2] Soni, A. (2015). Top five most cCostly conditions among adults age 18 and older, 2012: Estimates for the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from https://meps.ahrq.gov/data_files/publications/st471/stat471.shtml.

[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018). Learn about mental health. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm.

[4] National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental health by the numbers. (2019, September). Retrieved September 22, 2020 from https://www.nami.org/mhstats.