More than Winter Blues: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

In May 2023, the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended – reflecting a long-awaited return to normalcy across the United States. However, this has not been the case for millions of Americans who continue to struggle with the economic and social effects of the pandemic, including disruptions to daily life, loss, and grief. For some, physical and mental health effects from the virus continue to persist long after the period of initial infection.

Ask almost anyone about suicide, and you’ll likely find they have been personally impacted by the loss – or near loss – of a loved one. It’s perhaps not surprising given the statistics. In 2022 alone, more than 49,000 people in the United States died by suicide, the highest number ever recorded (PDF | 440 KB) in this country. That means one death every 11 minutes. And sadly, there are millions more Americans who considered or attempted suicide.