Seasonal Blues and AMD

I am not usually the sensitive sort. Just the same, changing seasons get me down. I want to stay in bed forever, eat my way into oblivion and just veg. Pushing myself to do even the basics can seem torturous.

Winter and depression

And that is even though I am active and involved. What happens when the changes in the seasons, the cooler weather, and the shorter days collide with the more significant limitations brought about by vision loss? How do we avoid pulling more into ourselves and being more...yep, the word is depressed.

Emotional effects of changing seasons

First of all, it is important to remember that changing seasons affect all sorts of folks. You don’t have to have full-blown seasonal affective disorder to be battling a case of the winter blahs. It has been indicated that up to 20% of people may be affected by changes in the seasons. In "How Change of Seasons Affects Humans and Animals," Wynne Parry noted there really is no good reason to believe humans, unlike other animals, are not affected by changes in the natural world.¹

Regions of SAD and AMD

It has been suggested that seasonal affective changes and latitude are related. Some people believe the higher the latitude the more common emotional reactions to the seasons will be. While this hypothesis has not yet been confirmed, it has been confirmed there are regional “pockets” of people suffering from retinal diseases, specifically age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. That is, the prevalence of these retinal diseases is greater than in other populations.

Is there a link?

No, I am not saying there are common roots or even a correlation between seasonal blues and AMD. What I am saying is that some of us might be in line for a double whammy. Colijn et al published in the American Academy of Ophthalmology (December 2017) a piece that reported prevalence of AMD is higher in the “northern region” of Europe.² Those areas are in the higher latitudes I was previously referring to. For what it is worth, looking at the old, family tree, folks, that is me and it could easily be you, too.

What do I do?

So here I am with my touch of SAD and my AMD - more than a tad of that, by the way. I am doing what I chose to do in my battle with AMD. I am staying active, maintaining a good weight, participating in a study, and taking my vitamins. (No, I am not eating kale, but I said I am doing what I chose to do; remember?) What is to be done about that touch of seasonal affective disorder?

What can you do?

The Mayo Clinic suggests we make our environments sunnier and brighter. They also suggest getting outside as much as we can. Don’t look now, but they suggest we exercise as well. If you progress to full-blown SAD, you may need to go for an antidepressant and possibly some counseling.3

A tropical vacation

As a final resort, the Mayo Clinic even suggests a resort!³ You know, a tropical paradise with a beach and drinks with fruit and funny, little umbrellas and other stuff stuck in them. Someplace with Latin music and laughter pulsing through the night...sigh. I wonder if I could get a prescription for that. Do you think insurance would pay???

Probably not. Meaning, to fight the seasonal blahs, I am stuck getting sun on my back deck, getting more outside time walking with the puppygirls and exercising at the Y. I guess this ethnically Northern European girl is going to have to be happy with that.