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Cabin Fever? SAD? Making Sense of Your Seasonal Mood Swings

Stephen Bitsoli

Guest blog by Stephan Bitsoli, Sunshine Behavioral Health

Does the change of season affect your mood? Perhaps you couldn't put your finger on it until recently when you realized your winter mood swings might be related to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Sure enough, being holed up indoors during the winter can leave you feeling depressed. Lengthy isolation can also lead to SAD and other conditions known to affect mental health. A psychiatric professional can determine if your mood swings and other symptoms are related to a mental health disorder.

What Causes Mood Changes in Winter?

If you usually feel down in the dumps whenever winter arrives, there's a good chance something other than normal mood swings is going on. Medical experts say spending more time indoors and not getting enough sunlight can dampen your mood.

Morning sunlight is a source of vitamin D. Studies show low levels of vitamin D are linked to depression. Other risk factors are lowered serotonin levels and chemical imbalances in the brain from a lack of bright light. Serotonin is a brain chemical that plays a role in stabilizing mood and helping you to sleep better.

Consequently, vitamin D and serotonin deficiencies during wintertime can lead to the following conditions:

  • Cabin fever

  • Winter blues

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Cabin Fever

Although it’s not a medically defined condition, cabin fever is real. It results from spending less time socializing due to prolonged isolation or confinement. It can leave you feeling bored, moody, irritable, anxious, or depressed.

According to a 2021 study, being in lockdown for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused many of us to develop cabin fever, but it can happen regardless of COVID.

Some individuals may experience changes in sleep patterns (insomnia, oversleeping) or mental disturbances, including paranoia. In severe cases, cabin fever can lead to alcohol or drug abuse or self-directed violence, including suicide.

Winter Blues

Shorter and darker days lasting from around September through March also contribute to mild to severe moodiness. Like cabin fever, winter blues is not a medical diagnosis, according to the National Institute on Health (NIH). It refers to a fairly common state of mind in the winter months, resulting from the shorter days, holiday stress, or the absence of loved ones.

Common symptoms include a general mood shift, such as suddenly feeling sad, fatigued, or being unmotivated to complete daily tasks. Symptoms are typically mild and usually go away on their own in a short space of time.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Do you normally feel hopeless, down, or sad in the winter? There's a name for it and it's SAD, a mental health condition responsible for winter-related shifts in mood. 

The Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines seasonal affective disorder, also called “winter depression” and “seasonal depression,” as a type of Major Depressive Disorder with a Seasonal Pattern. SAD appears to be more common in people living in regions that experience long winters.

SAD Causes

Doctors don't yet know the exact cause of the disorder, but believe the symptoms are caused by fewer hours of sunlight during shortened winter days. Shorter days also mean fewer hours for daytime outdoor activities.

It also means more potential hours for sleep. Less sunlight exposure already disrupts your body clock (sleep-wake cycle). It also can lower serotonin levels, and create melatonin imbalances. These changes may contribute to mood swings, depressive moods, and anxiety.

Common Symptoms of SAD to Look Out for

Symptoms may vary from person to person, in terms of type, duration, and severity. Doctors note the following common symptoms that may indicate SAD:

  • Increased carbohydrate cravings

  • Overeating and weight gain

  • Oversleeping or hypersomnia (sleep-inducing melatonin production increases with earlier nightfall)

  • Chronic fatigue or lethargy despite sleeping longer

  • Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

  • Feeling hopeless, guilty, or worthless

  • Thoughts of suicide (severe cases)

SAD vs. Cabin Fever vs. Winter Blues

It's easy to mistake SAD for cabin fever or the winter blues because the symptoms are similar. The NIH made the distinction, reporting that SAD is considered a more severe type of depression than others caused by winter weather. SAD must be diagnosed and treated by a mental health professional. 

A marked difference in those with SAD is depression symptoms, such as loss of interest in enjoyable activities and hopelessness. 

Other distinctions include:

Depression Effects on Your Day-to-Day Life

Depression symptoms—whether temporary or long-term, whether due to SAD, cabin fever, or the winter blues—can lead to unhealthy coping behaviors such as alcohol or drug abuse. It can be difficult to cope with depression, especially if you have responsibilities such as a job or caring for family members.

Numbing the emotional pain associated with depression is one reason people use, misuse, and abuse prescription medication. This can lead to substance use disorders, including addiction, and the need for rehab treatment.

When to Seek Help

Consider talking to your primary care physician if depression symptoms persist, are getting worse, or affect normal daily functioning. A referral to a mental health specialist for further diagnosis and treatment may be advisable.

Standard treatments for depression include:

  • Antidepressants

  • Anti-anxiety medications

  • Talk therapy (psychotherapy, behavioral therapies). 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is shown to effectively reduce SAD symptoms and recurrence, as well as other mental health disorders and substance use disorders. Therapy teaches you healthy ways of coping, such as mindfulness, exercise, eating healthily, art, music, and staying socially connected.

Sunshiny Days are Ahead!

SAD, cabin fever, and winter blues symptoms tend to go away once spring or summer arrives. So, get out and take advantage of the sunlight. Bright light is a natural antidepressant. It increases serotonin in the brain and boosts your mood. 

Spending more time outdoors—as well as socializing, eating healthy meals, exercising, and in therapy—should leave you feeling happier overall.

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