Return of light can trigger seasonal depression

March 1, 2017

Carla Browning

UAF photo by JR Ancheta. Visitors pause outside the University of Alaska Museum of the North.
UAF photo by JR Ancheta. Visitors pause outside the University of Alaska Museum of the North.


Seasonal affective disorder, known as SAD, usually occurs in the winter, but some people are hit harder in the spring. They become depressed as the days get longer and the temperatures warmer.

If you find yourself having symptoms of depression — feelings of hopelessness, teariness, lack of motivation, thoughts of hurting yourself, difficulty making decisions, decreased concentration — please call the Student Health and Counseling Center at 474-7043 for an appointment.

The center is open 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and also has a 24-hour call line staffed by licensed professionals.