Kashmir’s spring sunshine blows the cobwebs away

Kashmir’s spring sunshine blows the cobwebs away

Subject :Science and Technology

Section: Health

Context: Seasonal affective disorder is common in Srinagar, a city riddled with the twin realities of a harsh winter and terrorism, but with spring, a lot changes.

More on the News:

• As spring breaks, psychiatrists in Kashmir are able to help their patients who are battling seasonal affective disorder (SAD) brought on by the harsh whiteness of winter and decreased sunlight, along with conflict-induced depression, transition out of antidepressant medication.
• Around 45% of Kashmir’s adult population (1.8 million) suffers from some form of mental distress, according to a study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry, Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Hospital (JLNMH), Srinagar, in 2020. It also found that there was a high prevalence of trauma (47%), depression (41%), anxiety (26%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (19%).
• Spring emerges as a significant factor in addressing the physiological aspects of depression.

Seasonal affective disorder

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder subset, in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year, commonly but not always in the wintertime, with reduced sunlight.
• Common symptoms include sleeping too much, having little to no energy, and overeating. The condition in the summer can include heightened anxiety.
• It is no longer classified as a unique mood disorder, but is now a specifier, called “with seasonal pattern”, for recurrent major depressive disorder that occurs at a specific time of the year, and fully remits otherwise. Although experts were initially skeptical, this condition is now recognized as a common disorder.
• With seasonal pattern is a specifier for bipolar and related disorders, including bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. Most people with SAD experience major depressive disorder, but as many as 20% may have a bipolar disorder. It is important to distinguish between diagnoses because there are important treatment differences.
• The winter months in Kashmir are characterized by shorter days and longer nights, which can lead to a lack of natural sunlight and increased risk of SAD.
• According to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2019, the prevalence of SAD in Kashmir was found to be higher than in other parts of India. The study found that nearly 28% of the study participants met the criteria for SAD, and that the prevalence was higher among women than men.