As the days grow shorter, you may find yourself feeling more tired and unmotivated. There’s a term for that; it’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Denise Hayes, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at IU, says Seasonal Affective Disorder can be caused by a lack of sunlight but it can also be brought on by stress about exams, homesickness, and triggers during the holidays.
While she says Seasonal Affective Disorder is always common this time of year, she says it can be especially challenging now due to the pandemic. With classes going all online and many students having to quarantine or isolate, the stress can be overwhelming.
A recent study done by researchers from Harvard and several other universities found that nearly half of 18 to 24 year-olds are showing signs of depression amid the pandemic.
“The pandemic is a crisis but most crises don’t last this long,” said Hayes. “It keeps your adrenaline pumping all the time so it’s like the worst kind of crisis – a tornado that just keeps happening all the time.”
CAPS Director Denise Hayes explains the mental health resources available to students when classes go online.
CAPS is offering a variety of resources for students to use over the break. Some free mental health services that are available to students include an app called
WellTrack where students can track their mental health and set up virtual appointments and another service called
Shrink Space where out-of-state students can find a counselor near them.
Hayes says there are also several mental health techniques that students can practice at home.
One technique that can help with Seasonal Affective Disorder is light therapy. Hayes says that CAPS is even considering purchasing lights for their office next year. She also recommends getting outside as much as possible, exercising, and most importantly, staying in touch with friends.
“At this point, since we’ve been doing some type of social isolation since March, I think people have learned how to use Zoom or Webex and different things like that,” said Hayes. “I certainly would encourage students to continue doing that with friends when they go home or when their classes go completely online.”
