Why organisations need to take the lead on mental health
December 21 2023
Read moreThe nights are drawing in, and summer is miles away—for some of us, this shift can be tough. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a serious mental health issue that affects many aspects of a person’s life. The condition tends to occur during the winter months, but it can sometimes occur in the summer too.
This article will help employers gain a deeper understanding of SAD and its impacts on the workplace. After all, you have a duty of care to look after your employees. We’ll cover symptoms, treatments, and adjustments you can make to support your workers.
It’s useful to think about the disorder as a type of depression. SAD is more than the ‘winter blues’ or a feeling of sadness. It’s a major depressive disorder brought about by the change in seasons.
It is common for people to experience mood shifts with changes in weather or seasons. But SAD causes people to feel severe depressive symptoms that interfere with other areas of life. People suffering from SAD will experience this depression in a seasonal pattern each year.
Most people with SAD suffer from these symptoms in the winter months. But there are a few people who experience these symptoms during the summer months too.
SAD is a serious issue and one that can have drastic effects on productivity in the workplace. That’s why employers must begin to understand the signs and symptoms.
Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression have similar symptoms.
These include:
There are some SAD-specific signs:
There are some common, easily recognisable risk factors for Seasonal Affective Disorder:
The biggest difference between depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder is that latter gets triggered by the changing seasons, whereas depression is year-round.
Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression are very similar, it’s true. But there are ways to help with SAD that don’t work with ‘ordinary’ depression.
It’s dependent on a variety of factors. But in the UK and Ireland, SAD is thought to affect as many as one in three people.
It’s likely someone you know is beginning to struggle with it.
A GP will be able to assess the situation and provide guidance. Common treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder include:
Talking therapies: like regular depression, SAD is treated with a variety of talking therapies.
Medication: antidepressants can help people reach a place where they can cope with the daily demands of life. The main one used to treat SAD is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
Some alternative approaches may relieve the symptoms of SAD. We’ll discuss these below.
These are some quick and easy ways to life more manageable for employees suffering from SAD in the workplace:
We know when the winter months are starting to draw closer, the temperature drops, and the clocks go back. So, it's good to prepare for SAD ahead of time. If there are any employees you know who are struggling, reach out to them and discuss any adjustments you can make.
If you have mental health support in place, make sure you’re signposting to it. The winter months can cause a spike in loneliness and financial worries at Christmas. Encourage line managers to check in with colleagues in regular one to ones. When you support your employees, productivity improves as a result.
Health Assured can help. We have trained advisors and counsellors on-hand 24/7, 365. Our Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) service can help you and your employees to increase your wellbeing and productivity. Supporting SAD people at work begins by providing the mental health guidance they need to overcome tough times.
We also offer a line manager support line that offers advice to managers who may not know how to approach SAD concerns.
Contact us today to discuss this further on 0844 891 0352
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