Since a lot of us are suffering through it at the moment, let’s hit on what causes Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly know as #SAD)

While researchers haven’t pinned down an exact reason, the most likely causes all have to do with - you guessed it - the sun. 3 major causes 👇
1) Circadian Rhythm

the lack of sunlight messes with our internal rhythms, which throws our body out of whack. Off kilter natural rhythm = greater susceptibility to #depression.
2) Serotonin Levels

the sun gives our brain’s mood-booster an extra kick and aids in production. Once again, lack of sun = lower serotonin levels = greater chance of #SeasonalDepression.
3) Melatonin Levels

exposure to light helps us produce melatonin (which regulates our sleep cycle). If this decreases due to lack of exposure and our sleep patterns are disrupted, our mood can change.
The likely causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder aren’t rocket science. But, we’re also prone to them whether we like it or not.

Still, it’s important to be aware of WHY our mood may be changing, so we can better understand (and take care of) our overall #mentalhealth.

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More from @MHTSocial

7 Jan
While there’s no way to determine if you’ll develop Seasonal Affective Disorder #SAD (or what exactly causes it), there are a few possible causes to be aware of.

Let’s break em down! 👇
1) Distance from the equator

Well, unfortunately you’re a bit out of luck on this one (unless you plan on picking up and moving to Ecuador, in which case more power to you).

Further away = less sunlight = higher chance of developing #SeasonalDepression
2) History of #MentalHealth struggles

History of #depression, #anxiety, #bipolar and other disorders can put you at a higher risk.
Read 5 tweets
7 Jan
Do you have Seasonal Depression (or Seasonal Affective Disorder #SAD)?

There’s no shame in it if you do. It’s important to *understand* what you’re dealing with, in order to deal with it properly! Let’s talk symptoms 👇
If you notice your mood, behavior, or feelings (you’re #mentalhealth) change during the winter months, there’s a pretty good chance you have #SAD. What are some signs?

Sadness, crying, and hopelessness (you may know these as #depression) are CLEAR signs that you’re affected.
Anger, irritability, and agitation are harder to pinpoint. BUT, they are also signs. You may not realize or notice at first - you could be attributing these to so many other factors. But think back... did you feel & act similar before the winter months?
Read 8 tweets
4 Jan
Hopefully everyone had a good first Monday of 2022!

A lot of us have some (hefty) New Year’s resolutions that we’re kicking off today. And as many of us know, they’re not always the easiest to follow through with... 😬
This year, rather than giving up if you slip up once (missing one gym session, one day of journaling, etc.), be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself, and carry on.

Messing up is a part of success. No one is perfect in pursuit of their goals.
“Failure,” in reality, is not failing at all. It means you are pushing yourself past your normal limits, improving, and making progress in pursuit of your goals. In other words, if you aren’t failing, you aren’t working on your resolution.
Read 5 tweets
2 Jan
When we started MHT in 2019, we set out to transform Mental Health & Subtance Abuse testing, an industry in desperate need of technological innovation.
With skyrocketing rates of mental health disorders and a subtance abuse epidemic, it’s never been more important to identify disorders, and monitor them effectively throughout treatment.
Our platform is designed to create a seamless end-to-end experience for both patients and clinicians. Better efficiency, data-tracking, and ease-of-use means more people get the help they need.
Read 4 tweets

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