How Weather Affects Your Mood and Contributes Towards Depression

Cause & Effect: Depression and Weather

A phenomenon known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a unique form of depression that is clearly related to changing seasons. SAD is known to begin and end as the seasons come and go. Depression-like symptoms commence at the onset of the changing seasons and contribute towards feelings of sadness, misery, and depression. This is usually associated with the winter months when it gloomy, snowy, cold, rainy, wet, and overcast.

Infrequently, SAD can occur during spring and summer. Various treatment regimens are available for Seasonal Affective Disorder, including psychotherapy, medication, and light therapy. While many of us discount these feelings as the blues, but SAD and related mental health conditions are real and concrete steps need to be taken to elevate mood and lift the depression.

How Are Depression & Weather Related?

Bad weather is known to affect a person’s mood and general disposition. Rain tends to have a negative effect on a minority of people, across multiple studies where weather and depression are associated. A clinical psychologist from San Francisco, T Evans Ph.D. noted that there are strong feelings of loneliness and depression among people when overhead conditions are bleak and dark.

This contributes towards feelings of low self-esteem and sadness which over time are hallmarks of depression. There is clear evidence that light is a force for good in terms of mood elevation, whereas darkness (at least in the daytime) is associated with feelings of sadness, dreariness, and loneliness in people. Other medical professionals on the other end of the country in New York routinely stress the importance of light therapy for neuropsychiatric conditions with depression and weather.

In all instances, it’s important to have exposure to sunlight, or natural light to elevate mood. Of course, there are multiple treatment regimens available to help with depression such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, therapy, VNS, exercise, ECT, and TMS.

How to Combat Weather Related Depression?

There are many effective treatment regimens available to people suffering from weather-related depression. Light therapy has proven to be one of the most efficacious options, but many others exist. Psychiatrists, licensed mental health counselors, doctors, and psychologists believe strongly in diverting attention away from the source of the depression such as the poor weather outside, towards more pleasurable activities inside.

These may be reading, writing, exercising, or other forms of entertainment. By staying active, the mind focuses on something other than whatever is causing the depression to begin with. Many people believe that the ultimate elixir for depression is exercise. This includes walking, jogging, running, aerobic activity, bodybuilding, yoga, pilates, et cetera. Indeed, there is truth to the exercise remedy since it releases serotonin and dopamine which keep depressive thoughts at bay.

These important neurotransmitters are critical in terms of the incidence of mental health conditions. Almost all of us will go through a depressive episode at some point in time, with a minority experiencing weather-related depression. If left unchecked, depression can certainly lead to physical ailments.

The Correlation Between Depression and Weather

Treatment for depression is multifold. It incorporates therapy, therapeutics, and procedures (invasive and non-invasive alike). One particular treatment option for depression is known as Deep TMS™. This treatment uses a specialized helmet which is highly effective at delivering targeted action; traditional TMS uses a standard Figure-8 coil. Deep TMS™ has been cleared by the FDA, pending approval. The company behind Deep TMS™ – BrainsWay – is FDA cleared for treatment of depression, OCD, anxious depression, and smoking addiction. TMS Depression treatments are increasingly popular, owing to their pain-free, non-invasive, & well-tolerated treatments.

Deep TMS™ is a nonsurgical, pain-free (except for tingling, or mild discomfort during treatment) with no long-lasting side effects whatsoever. It is particularly effective for major depressive disorder which is non-responsive to certain medications and which can prove detrimental to the well-being of the patient if left untreated. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) sends out magnetic waves to stimulate neural activity in the brain, relieving symptoms of depression in the process. This is also effective when climatic elements trigger depressive episodes in individuals.

Over the years, various studies have been conducted in different countries, with different spatial distributions. A particular study was conducted on depression and weather conditions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The studies found that depression was more prevalent in parts of the country which experienced rainy weather and cold weather. This conclusion is not surprising, given the importance of environmental factors on mental health and wellness.