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Show Volume II, Issue VII The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 13 1 April 2000 Spring Comes to the Valley By J i mm y Poulter The ice out on Pine view Re se rvoir s ignals one of the first r e a l s igns of ear ly spring in the Va l l e y. A long w ith tha t come s a l o t o f cold water with the lake t e m p er atur e hovering around 42 d e g r ees . The stre ams’ a nd r i v e r s ’ tem per ature is about the s a m e . Angler s , hikers, a nd other w a t e r lover s m ust be extremely c a u t i o us when in, or around, the c o l d w ater. “Hypothe rmia K i l l s , ” is an u nderstatement. F a l l i ng into 42 degre e water ca n r e s u l t in death in minute s, no, s e c o nds . A 10 de gree drop in b o d y cor e tempera ture ca n, and w i l l kill. A s the sun wa rms and n i c e days begin to ma ke the ir a p p e ar ance, please be extra c aut i o u s ar ound the water. As lakes, r i v e r s , and s tr eams all sta rt their a n n u al r is e, cold floodwaters are m o st danger ous . On nice da ys, e x t r a pr ecautions a re manda tory f o r c h ildr en and pe ts. Fishing w i l l i m pr ove as s pring works its w a y nor th. A ten to fiftee n d e g r ee r is e in water te mperat u r e s will br ing the panfish and t r o u t out to s pawn. Watch for c r a p pie in s hallow bays tha t w a r m f ir s t. Catf ish a nd muskies w i l l als o move to sun warme d w a t e r. Us e a s im ple jig and bobb e r rig, or worms, with no w e i g ht, on the bottom. Fish the r i v e r s w hile you c an. Onc e high w a t e r s come, danger follows. Long Cold Months Cause Seasonal Depression By J oha n n a Dro u b a y “I hate wi n t er, ” s ay s h i g h s ch o o l se nior Ti ffan y C ro w. “I’m alwa ys t i red . It ’s co l d an d i t ’s da rk.” Durin g t h e wi n t er m o n t h s , ma ny a d u l t s b eco m e d i s s at i s fi ed with t h ei r wo rk , s t u d en t s be come fru s t rat ed wi t h s ch o o l ; children crav e j u n k fo o d an d be come i rri t ab l e. Un t i l recen t l y these t en d en ci es h av e n o t b een offic ia l l y rel at ed t o wo rk i n g i n the da rk , wh en t h e d ay s are shorte r an d t h e n i g h t s are l o n g er. Mid-wi n t er l et h arg y an d d ep res sion ha v e l o o s el y b een referred to a s the “wi n t er b l u es . ” Toda y, S eas o n al Affect i v e Disord er (S AD) i s d es cri b ed b y S. Ate zaz S aeed , M . D. an d Ti m o thy J. Bru ce P h . D. as , “A p at t ern of maj o r d ep res s i v e ep i s o d es that o ccu r an d rem i t wi t h change s i n s eas o n s . ” Al t h o u g h SAD en co m p as s es d ep res s i o n dire ctl y co rrel at ed wi t h an y s eason, mo s t p eo p l e s u ffer fro m t h e type of S AD wh erei n s y m p t o m s be gin t o ap p ear i n t h e fal l months an d d i s ap p ear wi t h t h e coming o f s p ri n g . Altho u g h m an y s t at i s t i cs are availa b l e, Ti m e m ag azi n e re ports t h at s ci en t i s t s es t i m at e at lea s t t en m i l l i o n Am eri can s suffer fro m s ev ere S AD, an d more than 2 5 m i l l i o n Am eri can s suffer fro m m i l d er v ers i o n s . Sympto m s i n cl u d e d ep res s i o n , loss of en erg y, i n creas ed s l eep and app et i t e, carb o h y d rat e crav ings, an d i rri t ab i l i t y, am o n g othe r thi n g s . It i s es t i m at ed t h a t S A D acco u n t s fo r o n e-th i r d o f a l l rep o rt ed cas es o f d e p r e s s i o n . St u d i es s h o w t h at c h i l d r e n a n d ad o l es cen t s o ft en ass o c i a t e t h e i r wi n t er b l u es wi t h t h e s c h o o l y ear, o ft en l o s i n g t h e i r m o t i v a t i o n . C h i l d ren s u ff e r i n g f r o m S AD m ay h av e m o r e t e m p e r t an t ru m s an d v ag u e p h y s i c a l co m p l ai n t s . S AD i s cau s ed by s e r o t o n i n co n cen t rat i o n s rea c h i n g t h e i r l o wes t p o i n t d u ri n g s h o r t w i n t e r d ay s , t h ereb y t ri g g e r i n g d e p r e s s i o n . In ad d i t i o n t o Wi n t e r S A D b ei n g t ri g g ered b y i n s u ff i c i e n t s u n l i g h t , i t can b e tr i g g e r e d b y g en et i c v u l n erab i l i t y o r s t r e s s . St res s , i n fact , can t i p m i l d s u f ferers o v er t h e ed g e i n t o s e v e r e S AD. Oft en S AD d e v e l o p s a f t e r a t i m e o f g reat s t r e s s , a n d acco u n t s , s o m e s p e c u l a t e , f o r p o s t n at al d ep res s i o n i n s o m e wo m en wh o s e b ab ie s a r e b o r n d u ri n g t h e wi n t ert i me . Des p i t e s i m i l ari t i e s b e t w e e n S AD an d cl i n i cal d e p r e s s i o n , t h ere are d i s t i n g u i s h i n g f a c t o r s . T h o s e s u fferi n g fr o m c l i n i c a l d ep res s i o n p refer darkness; h ap p y ev en t s d o n ’t c h e e r t h e m u p , t h ei r s y m p t o m s ha v e n o s e a s o n al p at t ern , an d t he y h a v e d i f fi cu l t y s l eep i n g a n d e a t i n g . S AD, o n t h e o t h er h a n d , p r o d u ces co m p arat i v el y l o w r a t e s o f s u i ci d e, s u n n y weat h e r l i f t s s u f ferers ’ s p i ri t s , an d s uff e r e r s t e n d to g rav i t at e toward light s o u rces . S AD i s n o t a h o p e l e s s d i s o r d er. L i g h t t h erap y a n d s o m e a t h o m e rem ed i es can c o n s i d e r a b l y lighten the winter months. Light therapy involves the use of a 10,000 lux light box directed at the patient ten minutes per day to begin with, increasing gradually u p t o 11 h o u r s p e r d a y. D u r i n g treatment eyes should remain open, ruling out the possible e ff e c t i v e n e s s o f t a n n i n g b e d s . Light boxes cost between $200 and $500, some insurance companies covering the cost. Light therapy is also useful for combating jet lag, and helpful to shift workers coping with abnormal schedules. Alarm clocks that simulate a sunrise are also a helpful form of treatment. At h o m e , s u ff e r e r s c a n t r e a t t h e i r disorder by spending as much time as possible exercising, keeping warm, and enjoying the recreational possibilities of w i n t e r. I t i s a l s o i m p o r t a n t f o r S A D s u ff e r e r s t o h a v e w e l l l i t homes. Because there is a higher incidence of SAD in areas closer to the poles, winter month vacations in areas with longer days will boost spirits. Experts remind those who f e a r t h e y m a y s u ff e r f r o m S A D that nine out of ten people feel they eat and sleep more in the winter; and gray days and long nights leave the same ratio of people feeling down. This is a normal reaction. Before treating SAD, experts recommend consulting a physician for individual diagnosis based on the p a t i e n t ’s h i s t o r y. I n s o m e c a s e s , physicians may prescribe antidepressants. 3675 Riverdale Rd. 394-2647 WE'RE M OV I N G T O: 1893 N. Washington Blvd. North Ogden, UT New Phone: 737-4781 $10OFF $5OFF ALIGNMENT OIL CHANGE Most Cars, Trucks Extra. Not valid with any other special. 1893 N. Washington Blvd. North Ogden store Only. Expires 4/30/00 Most Cars, Trucks Extra. Not valid with any other special. 1893 N. Washington Blvd. North Ogden store Only. Expires 4/30/00 Com See e Us $20OFF COMPLETE BRAKE SERVICE Most vehicles. Not valid with any other special. 1893 N. Washington Blvd. North Ogden store Only. Expires 4/30/00 |