Stúdentablaðið - 01.02.2010, Blaðsíða 34

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Each year, a certain proportion of people in the
northern hemisphere experiences an increase in fatigue,
sluggishness and melancholy as the days get shorter.
However, with the arrival of spring and sunnier days, the
symptoms simply vanish. We often use the term Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD) as an umbrella term for these
symptoms. But how does SAD manifest itself? How is an
actual case of SAD different from a slight drop in energy
and an increased desire to sleep in? How common is it
and what are the probable causes of SAD? And last but
not least, what can be done when someone is affected by
SAD?
In fact, Seasonal Affective Disorder is no different from
other types of depression, apart from the fact that it is
limited to a specific time of year. The main symptoms
include extreme fatigue and a difficulty getting up in the
morning, an increased longing for high-carb and sugary
food, and a lack of energy as well as concentration.
People can also experience a decrease in sociability, more
negative thoughts and a sense of hopelessness.
It is important to distinguish between actual SAD and less
severe symptoms, such as people's desire to stay in bed for
longer on dark mornings, as well as the slight melancholy
many of us feel as we slip back into our routine after the
holidays, when the dark, cold months seem to stretch
out in front of us on the calendar until the next holiday.
Mid-winter is in many ways a time of great pressure
for most people, whether in employment or education.
Projects and exams commonly peak around that time, and
some also experience stress in relation to Christmas and
a subsequent anti-climax. It is therefore not unnatural to
want to stay huddled up on the sofa by candlelight on
those days when the winter storms rage and the sun has
hardly risen above the horizon by noon. In cases of actual
SAD, however, the situation is rather more serious. In
those cases, people often experience very harsh symptoms
on a daily basis for an extended period of time, and the
condition severely affects their day-to-day life. In a worst
case scenario, people can become completely unable to
work and may even contemplate suicide since they can
see no way past their depression. It is important to seek
help in time, particularly if people feel miserable every day.
The causes of SAD are not fully known; however, it has
The Argument For
and Against Icesave
Many of us are by now sick and tired of the lcesave
debate. Some believe the discussion has become
characterised by political bickering, turning it dichéd. It
ought to be good for everyone to read an article which
gives people an opportunity to form their own opinion
on the matter. That is the aim of this article, which gives
an overview of the main arguments for and against the
present lcesave legislation. We talked to Eiríkur Tómasson,
professor of law, and Maria Elvira Mendez Pinedo, a
specialist in European Law.
Professor Eiríkur Tómasson
Arguments for:
Economic. "The deal would be made and thus all
uncertainty would disappear; you could argue that this
uncertainty has a negative influence on the economy."
Political. "It is my opinion that it would be difficult for
us politically to now back out and say we won't pay until
there is a court decision in the matter."
become clear that daylight - or rather lack of it - has
much to do with the condition. This can most clearly be
observed in those cases where people suffering from
SAD travel south and shed their symptoms in a matter of
days. When they return back north, the symptoms surface
again. One of the current theories on the causes of SAD is
that a disturbance in circadian rhythm leads to symptoms
of depression. People's circadian rhythm, also known as
our body dock, i.e. the balance between sleeping and
waking, is to some extent controlled by the hormone
melatonin. This hormone's role is to make people sleepy
as it gets dark. Ðuring darkness, there is an increased
production of melatonin, which then decreases again as
soon as it gets brighter in the morning. During mid-winter,
when there is overwhelming darkness, the production of
melatonin is maintained due to lack of daylight, which
leads to fatigue and sluggishness. It is also probable that
the transmitter serotonin plays a part in this; a lack of
serotonin can cause symptoms of depression.
The incidence of SAD becomes greater the further north
you go. For instance, SAD does not occur around the
equator but increases in incidence the further north
you travel in the United States, and has been estimated
at around 10% in Alaska and the north of Norway.
However, research has shown that lcelanders appear to be
unusually resistant to SAD, with regard to the country's
geographical location. Research has shown that only
3.8% of lcelanders suffer from SAD, which goes against
the general rule that the incidence of SAD should increase
as you go further north. It has been noted that when
the descendants of lcelandic immigrants in Canada were
tested, they showed the same results - they manifested
fewer symptoms of SAD than other inhabitants of the
same area. One might attribute this to an adjustment
over centuries; i.e. that through the ages, the isolated
inhabitants of lceland have adjusted to the shorter days.
It might be that those who had less tolerance for the lack
of daylight were less likely to find a partner and have
children, so that a certain natural selection took place.
But what can be done to fight the general winter blues on
the one hand, and SAD on the other? When it comes to
minor tiredness and lack of energy, it's good to remember
the importance of daily exercise, particularly out-of-doors
during the brightest time of day, and of eating healthy,
nutritious food. You should also make sure you have a
sleep routine, and it might even be good to sleep an extra
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
hour a night, if possible. However, in those cases where
people suffer from more serious symptoms, it is important
to tackle the problem head-on, as soon as possible.
Various forms of treatment have served well; first of all
there is light treatment. This involves a specific type of
lamp which gives off a light similar to real daylight; people
are instructed to keep this lamp on for several hours a
day. In this way you can deceive your brain and regain its
chemical balance. Secondly, there are forms of treatment
which are used for general depression, such as cognitive
behavioural therapy (CBT) and medication. CBT teaches
people how to change negative thought patterns and
thus influence their feelings and behaviour. The fact of the
matter is that thought, feeling and behaviour are closely
connected factors which influence one another. In the
most difficult cases, medication may prove necessary until
things get better with the rising sun.
Let's remember to be nice to each other during these
short days, enjoy what winter has to offer and to never
hesitate to express our feelings and seek help if something
isn't right.
Arguments against:
Legal. "Plausible legal arguments have been made for our
having to pay, but I believe the legal argument against it
now has more weight."
Financial. "There are also those who believe that even
though we ought to take on some obligations, they are
too great according to the present deal."
Getting rid of the uncertainty
"By agreeing on the lcesave laws we have reached a
certain agreement on state guarantee, which the British
and Dutch are ready to accept. This involves €20.889
per account holder in the UK and the Netherlands. The
British and Dutch have already paid out these amounts
and more, plus they demand that the Depositors' and
Investors'Guarantee Fund (DIGF) pay that money back.
They are willing to provide us with a loan on certain
terms, and ask that the state guarantee it because of the
DIGF's low liquidity rate.
By agreeing on the legislation that the president has
vetoed, we accept that there is state guarantee. The law
stipulates certain conditions for the state guarantee,
such as a moderate debt service, and it also includes a
provision people often identify with lawyer Ragnar H. Hall.
However, that provision is not as direct as it was in the
August legislation.
Lastly, the final argument for agreeing on the law is that
it would get rid of all the uncertainty. We would have
taken on a particular financial obligation and the matter
would thus be resolved. Many in fact believe that the
current uncertainty is causing us problems with regard to
attracting foreign finance. The state's credit rating hasn't
been high lately and has gone down since the president's
veto. People have also said that while the state's rating is
so low it makes it difficult for companies to borrow, e.g.
the energy companies."
A convincing legal argument against lcesave
"First of all, many believe we don't have a legal
requirement to take on these obligations and in my
opinion, convincing arguments have been made for
that point. It is my view that we would be in a relatively
strong position if this matter was resolved by a neutral
court of law. One must however be cautious and note
that, in my opinion, the case is nowhere near a sure win.
Plausible legal arguments have been made for our having
to pay, but I believe the legal argument against it now has
more weight. Many people are of that opinion, not least
STÚDENTABLAÐIÐ