UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
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Feeling SAD?
shedding light on seasonal blues
By Lauren Peters
y t’s that time of year again...the dark, drea
I ry days of winter in Oregon. For many
X students this simply means pulling on a
rain jacket and grabbing an umbrella on the
way out the door But for others, this darkness
is the culprit for a condition called SAD,
Seasonal Affective Disorder. Put simply, SAD is
a kind of depression in the winter months,
typically from October through March.
I
According to University of Oregon
| Psychiatrist, Dr Jerome Vergamini, the onset of
I this disorder is correlated with the increased
I level of melatonin that is released from the
pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin is a hor
mone produced only in the dark. The
increased levels of melatonin have been
shown to have a direct relationship with
increased levels of depression.
HOW COMMON IS SAD
Students, especially those new to the North
west, may notice a change in their mood during
these dark months. According to the National In
stitute of Mental Health,SAD affects 10 to 25 mil
lion Americans, with at least 80 percent of the cas
es being women. You may be at risk for Seasonal
Affective Disorder if you have three or more of
the following symptoms during the dark months
of the year:
/. Depression
2. Not motivated
3. Irritable
4. Lethargic
5. Sleep difficulties
6. Crave a high carbohydrate diet
7. Avoid friends and family
J
LIGHT THERAPY ON CAMPUS
Luckily there are several resources available
for students who may have Seasonal Affective
Disorder. The Health Center employs two li
censed psychiatrists that can help rule out other
medical conditions, prescribe use of full spec
trum lights and/or medication. The Counseling
Center also has a set of full spectrum lights (often
called SAD lights) that students can use on a
drop-in basis or schedule by calling 346-2706.
The SAD lights are 5-20 times brighter than nor
mal indoor lighting. In a typical light therapy treat
ment,an individual reads under the light every
day for 30-60 minutes. It takes about four days to
have effects and should be continued daily
throughout the winter months. For more informa
tion you can contact the Counseling Center at
346-2706 and the Health Center at 346-2770.
Helping a F riend
what to do when someone
you love has a drua problem
By Ursula Evans-Heritage
f-■ ^he use of alcohol and
other drugs is common
J[ among college students,
so it is sometimes difficult to
make the distinction between
social use and problem use. Seen
| by many of us as a fun way to be
with friends, problems can creep
into our lives with stealth. In an
attempt to better identify problem
use, I spoke with a professional at
the UO Counseling Center. She
talked to me about how I can
help friends that 1 worry about.
WHEN IT’S A PROBLEM
Symptoms of problem drug
use vary from person to person,
but an easy indicator is if sub
stance use is interfering with the
achievement of personal goals.
According to Counselor
Stephanie Allred, only the individ
ual is truly able to determine
whether or not they have a prob
lem. However, if you are worried
about a friend,here are a few
strategies for approaching them.
First, do not approach your
friend in an intimidating or
embarrassing manner. Try to talk
to them alone or with just a few
close friends. Do not attack them
by using accusations, such as
“You’re an alcoholic.” Instead,
focus the conversation on how
you feel, and try to have specific
events to back up your argument.
For example,“I was really scared
last weekend when you...” It is
important that you express empa
thy for the person, while at the
same time empowering them to
make their own decisions. One
such decision can include visiting
the counseling center.
HOW TO SUPPORT
If your friend does decide to
get help, they will need your sup
port. This can come in the form
of listening to them or joining
them in healthy social activities.
It is important to realize that there
is only so much you can do to
help another person; the individ
ual has to really want to get better
in order for recovery to work.
For more information the UO
Counseling Center may be
reached at 346-3227. Both individ
ual and group counseling are
offered free of charge.
WARNING SIGNS
OF DRUG RELATED
PROBLEMS
http://www.stopdnigaddk~
tion.com/drug-facts.htin
• mood swings
• unreliable, unable to finish
projects
• unexpressed resentment
and secret hatreds
• dishonesty; lies to family,
friends, employers
• withdraws from those who
love them; Isolates self
• may appear chronically de
pressed
• may begin stealing from
family and friends
u