Many high school students suffer from poor mental health during the fall and winter seasons.
“Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs in climates where there is less sunlight at certain times of the year. Symptoms include fatigue, depression, hopelessness, and social withdrawal,” Google said.
“I no longer enjoy the winter season; instead around this time every year, I start to feel overwhelmed with fatigue, depression, and loneliness,” an anonymous senior said.
Many students state that they have experienced seasonal depression since middle school. They never knew that it was a real illness.
“I often feel exhausted and have no motivation to do anything. I start to hate going to school, and I often find myself in tears in the middle of the day during the fall, an anonymous sophomore said.
“I have always loved the winter season. I loved the cold weather, the snow covered trees, and hot chocolate. But after my grandparents passed away around the winter time, this season feels different,” an anonymous junior said.
“If a student notices significant changes in mood and behavior when the seasons change, he or she may be experiencing SAD. In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer. This is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression,” said the National Institute of Mental Health.