Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you a 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.
Treatment for seasonal affective disorder includes light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications. Don't brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the "winter blues" or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own. Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year.
People who live in areas where winter days are very short or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons. People between the ages of 15 and 55. The risk of getting SAD for the first time goes down as you age.
Experts are not sure what causes SAD, but they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may upset your sleep-wake cycle and other circadian rhythms. And it may cause problems with a brain chemical called serotonin that affects mood.
Feel sad, grumpy, moody, or anxious, Lose interest in your usual activities, Eat more and crave carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta, Gain weight, Sleep more and feel drowsy during the daytime.
Symptoms come and go at about the same time each year. For most people with SAD, symptoms start in September or October and end in April or May.
It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between no seasonal depression and SAD, because many of the symptoms are the same. To diagnose SAD, your doctor will want to know if:
You have been depressed during the same season and have gotten better when the seasons changed for at least 2 years in a row. You have symptoms that often occur with SAD, such as being very hungry (especially craving carbohydrates), gaining weight, and sleeping more than usual. A close relative-a parent, brother, or sister-has had SAD.
Doctors often prescribe light therapy to treat SAD. There are two types of light therapy:
Bright light treatment: For this treatment, you sit in front of a "light box" for half an hour or longer, usually in the morning.
Dawn simulation: For this treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.
Light therapy works well for most people with SAD, and it is easy to use. You may start to feel better within a week or so after you start light therapy. But you need to stick with it and use it every day until the season changes. If you don't, your depression could come back.
Author Resource:
Vasanthi is an eminent article writer for Doctor Support web portal. You can find more of her health articles at http://drsupport.in/blog/
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