Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Abstract

It is common for people to experience brief episodes of sadness or feeling unlike themselves. Such mood swings may persist with changing seasons, become more severe, and impact a person's feelings, thoughts, and actions. Although the leading cause of it is unclear, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common mood disorder that people face in winter months due to the brain chemistry reactions to reduced sunlight and shorter days (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2021). As students of Boston University’s (BU) Graphic Medicine Club (GMC), we wanted to find ways to improve health literacy amongst BU students and provide the necessary health resources to help students. Two content creators of GMC worked together to create this comic and split the task of typography and illustration. This comic utilizes visuals and text to explain the common symptoms and treatment methods for SAD. Through our work at the intersection of art and medicine, we hope to offer a creative avenue for conversations about health topics such as SAD and provide informative narratives to others.