Rainy Day Blues
Gray skies make grumpy people, experts on seasonal affective disorder confirm. “Less hours of sunlight affect the balance of the neurochemistry of the brain,” said assistant psychology professor Sheila Grant of Cal State Northridge. And with weather demon El Nino purportedly on the way, Grant and her colleagues anticipate more SAD cases.
* EATING, SLEEPING: Symptoms of the disorder, which afflicts an estimated 3% of Americans, are midnight runs to the fridge, moodiness and alienation. “They certainly stay in the house and isolate themselves,” said Ellen Mayer of CSUN’s all-purpose counseling center.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Nov. 22, 1997 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday November 22, 1997 Valley Edition Metro Part B Page 2 Metro Desk 2 inches; 48 words Type of Material: Correction
El Nino--The Times’ Nov. 17 Newswatch column incorrectly conveyed the opinion of Cal State Northridge psychologist Sheila Grant on the subject of El Nino and seasonal depression. Grant knows of no published scientific evidence of El Nino increasing Seasonal Affective Disorder and therefore is not anticipating more cases this winter.
* TAKE A HIKE: Spending time outdoors can help, even a simple walk in the park. Another way to curb seasonal depression is exposure to “full spectrum lights,” which resemble strong desk lamps. Though the Food and Drug Administration is still weighing long-term effects, other experts stand by it. “The brightness impacts on your retina and sends a signal through to the optic nerves,” said Joe Ronn of Texas-based Northern Lights Technology.
FORECAST: Partly cloudy to mostly clear and warmer. B6
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