Akashdeep Singh (left) and Arshdeep Singh Randhawa (right), both international students, are seen playing table tennis in The Cave. Variety of new indoor activities are available for international students to socialize and can help them during the winter months.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, has affected the mental health of several students, whether they are in high school or attending post-secondary. SAD is a type of depression caused by seasonal changes, often happening during the winter season.
According to a study on international students in Canada, many suffer from loneliness, mental exhaustion, panic attacks amid pandemic. This study was published in studyinternational.com on Jan. 22, 2022 by Anil Varughese and Saul Schwartz. 55 per cent of international students were at risk of depression.
Students who develop seasonal depression during winter cope with it in different ways. For international students, some may be experiencing it for the first time since moving to a new country.
These students may develop seasonal depression because they are away from their families to attend post-secondary for the first time.
According to a study on depression among international students published by Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences, by Omodona Oluwakemi Oluwafunmilola published in January 2012, says new international students face many changes. Those experience a new culture, new people and probably a new language all joined together can be culture shock when students study abroad.
Culture shock is one of the factors that can contribute to developing seasonal depression. Some people may be challenged to adapt to the differences on how another country handles everyday tasks.
Some international students who move to a new country without knowing or having anyone with them can make them feel desolate. It can also be hard for them to develop new friendships with strangers which can contribute to developing seasonal depression.
Some have found their own way to keep them busy during the winter months by doing indoor activities like sports. Brian Sure, an international student from Kenya at Lethbridge College says he’s fortunate enough to play in an indoor soccer league. Sure mentioned a similar instance back in Kenya during the spring season.
“When it’s spring season, it rains a lot which makes most of the roads muddy. So you can’t do anything and have to stay indoors. Here when it’s winter you don’t have to stay indoors, you have something to do,” Sure said.
According to an article on Seasonal Affective Disorder by the clevelandclinic.org, they said having minimal contact with sunlight can trigger SAD. Having your biological clock change during the winter can also affect your mood due to the shift of your day-to-day schedule.
Although SAD has a negative impact on students, it can easily be treated. According to an article by Marisa Upson on Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder in College Students published in bestcolleges.com on December 17, 2021 she said light therapy is the standard treatment to help people cope through the winter months.
By students having to spend half an hour every morning in front of a 10,000 lux-light box, this helps to replace the lack of sunlight and in turn improves people’s moods. Lori Harasem, Health Promotion Coordinator at Lethbridge College said she has her own SAD lamp that students may be able to use in her office.
