Some DeKalb residents are singing the blues, but these feelings aren’t necessarily musical.

Rather, these feelings of sadness could be a result of two kinds of depression prevalent in the winter months: post-holiday depression and seasonal affective disorder.

Michael Flora, president and chief executive officer of the Ben Gordon Center in DeKalb, said 17 million Americans suffer from depression each year, but 25 percent of them are affected with post-holiday depression.

This depression often is a result of disappointment when high expectations for the holidays are not met, Flora said.

These high expectations can be crumbled by the stress of being with difficult family members over the holidays or by having financial problems, like not being able to afford gifts in a troubled economy, said Kara Britzman, extern with NIU’s Counseling and Student Development Center.

Grieving over the holidays because of the death of a loved one also can lead to post-holiday depression.

Dan Klein, associate professor of counseling, adult and health education, said some people have a tendency to put on a happy face over the holidays and ignore their feelings.

“If people delayed their grief and distracted themselves with parties and being with others, they can experience a letdown now,” he said.

Seasonal affective disorder, another type of depression, also is a cause of the winter blues.

People who suffer from this disorder feel fine in the summer and spring, but begin to feel depressed as the fall comes and the days get shorter.

“The lack of sunlight decreases the brain’s ability to produce serotonin and triggers depression,” Flora said.

Flora and Britzman both said the symptoms include feelings of sadness, worthlessness, helplessness and hopelessness, changes in sleep patterns, appetite, weight, increased irritability and a loss of interest in things that were once enjoyable.

Major depressive disorder consists of continuous depression that can be year-round, while post-holiday depression is relatively short-lived and only appears after the holidays and seasonal affective disorder only occurs in the winter months.

There are things individuals can do to combat the winter blues on their own.

Flora recommends exercising, keeping an appropriate diet, managing time well, trying new things and spending time both alone and with loved ones.

However, persistent symptoms could be serious and should be brought to the attention of a mental health professional.

Britzman said people complaining of post-holiday depression can seek counseling.

Those experiencing seasonal affective disorder can go through phototherapy, or light therapy, where they will be exposed to full spectrum ultraviolet light for about a half an hour to 45 minutes a day, Flora said.

For information on these depressions call the Ben Gordon Center at 756-4875 or the Counseling and Student Development Center at 753-1206.