Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder
- 3.25.2011
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Once your symptoms are diagnosed as seasonal affective disorder, there are multiple options for treatment. However, the most common treatment is a type of light therapy.
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Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder
- 3.24.2011
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It is estimated that five percent of adults in the United States suffer from seasonal affective disorder, and that less than one percent suffer from reverse seasonal affective disorder.
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Causes and Risks of Seasonal Affective Disorder
- 3.23.2011
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The main cause of seasonal affective disorder is still a mystery to physicians and researchers. However, research has determined that genetics, health conditions, age, and the body’s natural chemicals all play a role in those individuals who suffer from seasonal affective disorder. A few more factors you should consider are your biological clock and your melatonin and serotonin levels.
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What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
- 3.22.2011
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Does the change in seasons affect your mood or cause you to slip into a depression? You may have seasonal affective disorder. According to the Mayo Clinic, seasonal affective disorder “is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. It you’re like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer.”
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Do you suffer from Seasonal Depression?
- 12.04.2009
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SAD symptoms emerge during the darker winter months, then disappear as days grow longer and brighter come spring, says Ken Duckworth, MD, medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and an assistant professor at Harvard University Medical School.
Thankfully SAD is treatable and there are multiple methods of treatment. Light Therapy has been shown to be help. You can buy them without a prescription and they typically cost around $400 and are not covered by insurance. The most effective time to use Light Therapy is in the morning for it least 30 minutes. You can also seek Professional Help. Talk to your doctor about your seasonal sadness. Your doctor can prescribe antidepressants to help you feel better during these down months.
If you notice that this depression occurs during the fall and winter months, than you might want to plan a vacation to go somewhere warm and sunny every year during this time. If you can’t travel than you can self meditate. Go to yoga class a couple of times a week to help elevate your mood.
You might even be tempted to self-medicate during the holiday festivities. “Alcohol use tends to go up in the winter as people attend more parties.” Duckworth says. However, he says, “If you’re using alcohol or drugs to change the depressed way you feel this time of year, it’s probably compounding your problems as opposed to helping them.
Do you ever feel down during the fall and winter seasons? What has helped you overcome this seasonal sadness?
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