CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — As winter approaches and daylight hours shrink, health experts are reminding South Carolinians to monitor their mental health during what can be a challenging season for many.
December is designated as Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of recognizing symptoms that often hide in plain sight during the colder months.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly known as SAD or seasonal depression, can affect anyone as shorter days and grayer skies arrive. The lessened sunlight in the winter disrupts the body’s internal clock, creating emotional changes that can impact daily life.
Understanding the impact
According to the American Psychiatric Association, 5% of people are impacted by SAD, with seasonal depression lasting for approximately five months. This percentage translates to roughly 250,000 South Carolinians who may experience the condition.
The lack of vitamin D can also change mood, energy, appetite and concentration. Symptoms range from lack of energy to sleep disruption, affecting everyone differently during the winter months.
Bretta Kittrell, a family nurse practitioner at Bamberg Family Practice which is partnered with Palmetto Care Connections, said the condition is more common than many realize.
“I’ve had this conversation about 15 times in the last two days, but that’s just how common it is,” Kittrell said. “People call, they’re like, ‘I’m anxious. I’m depressed. I don’t want to be around anybody.’ So, the influence is very common.”
Impact on daily health management
The effects extend beyond mood changes. Kittrell said seasonal depression can impact patients’ ability to manage chronic conditions, something she has seen in her own patients.
“Their blood pressures and their blood sugars… have just dipped in the last few weeks,” Kittrell said. “And it is a lot of times that, [with] seasonal affective disorder, they lose motivation to even check their blood pressure or their blood sugar.”
Prevention and treatment options
Bamberg Family Practice recommends several prevention strategies which go beyond taking vitamin D supplements. Health experts emphasize the importance of getting eight hours of sleep and creating a consistent daily routine.
“The gloomy and dark is [the cause of] a lot of the calls… we don’t get as much sunlight,” Kittrell said. “So, I really encourage my patients, when you can get outside, when the weather is permissible for you to be outside, get that natural sunlight. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, walk outside. Early morning is best time. It helps regulate the circadian rhythm which helps with our mood, our sleep.”
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of South Carolina identifies light therapy as one of the most effective ways to brighten moods during darker months as it mimics the natural sunlight that people miss during colder weather.
Telehealth options for vulnerable populations
Kamryn Williams, a licensed nurse and a telehealth coordinator for Palmetto Care Connections, said elderly patients face particular challenges during winter months.
“One of the biggest things that we hit on with our patients is a majority of the patients that I currently work… with are elderly,” Williams said. “This time of the year, it’s cold, it’s rainy, a lot of them have a lot of chronic conditions, decreased mobility, [so] we preach about telehealth… we don’t want them to come into the doctor’s office or they don’t feel up to coming into the doctor’s office and having to sit and wait and being exposed to other germs, leaving there with something additional than what they came in with.”
Medical experts encourage South Carolinians to be aware of how their mood, energy and thoughts change as winter progresses. Whether experiencing restlessness or lacking motivation, every symptom matters. To sign up for a telehealth visit with Palmetto Care Connections regarding potential SAD symptoms, click here.
For those feeling overwhelmed or experiencing a mental health crisis, the 988 crisis line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.