Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder felt by many in the winter. It is characterized by a seasonal depression, a desire to oversleep or withdraw, and often a craving for starchier foods. While the 'winter blues' have long been recognized, Seasonal Affective Disorder has only been studied since the 1980s. Its mechanism is still not understood but there are some theories.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very real physiological phenomenon, and one that can be treated. It is thought that shorter days and lack of daylight may cause overproduction of melatonin, a hormone related to sleep that is created in the pineal gland; overproduction of melatonin is often followed by depression. Current treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder uses full-spectrum lights for a few hours -- even as little as an hour -- a day, which suppress the secretion of melatonin and thus elevate the SAD-sufferer's mood.
If you typically go through a period of depression in the wintertime, particularly in January and February, and you do not suffer depression any other time of the year, chances are good that you are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some studies claim that as many as ten to thirty percent of adults in countries with significant season changes are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder to some degree. Most Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferers may find that simply walking out of doors for an hour a day gives them sufficient daylight to reduce symptoms. Others may need to try indoor light therapy, or even medication.
If you have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you will usually have symptoms of depression during the winter when there is less daylight (October through April). Symptoms of SAD include:
Difficulty concentrating.
Low energy and fatigue.
Reduced interest in daily activities.
Moodiness (depressed, sad, or unusually quiet).
Increased appetite.
Cravings for complex carbohydrates (such as pasta and bread).
Weight gain.
Increased sleep.
Irritability.
People with SAD may either have symptoms of major depression or minor depression. Those with minor depression are considered to have subsyndromal SAD.
Treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) doesn't cure the seasonal depression, but it can help relieve your symptoms. Light therapy is the main treatment for SAD, and research is continuing to determine the most effective way to use it. Medicines and counseling may also be used to treat SAD.
Light therapy is an effective treatment for SAD.
There are two types of light therapy: bright light treatment, in which you sit in front of a "light box" for a certain amount of time (usually in the morning), and dawn simulation, which is done while you sleep. For dawn simulation, a low-intensity light is timed to go on at a certain time in the morning before you wake up, and it gradually gets brighter.
Light boxes are available commercially and use fluorescent lights that are brighter than indoor lights but not as bright as sunlight. Ultraviolet light, full-spectrum light, tanning lamps, and heat lamps should not be used. You place the light box at a specified distance from you on a desk or in front of a chair and use it while you read, eat breakfast, or work at a computer. Light therapy is usually prescribed for 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the intensity of the light used and on whether you are starting out or are using it to maintain a response.
It may take as little as 3 to 5 days or up to 2 weeks before you respond to light therapy. Stopping light therapy will likely cause you to relapse back into depression.
Light therapy may work by resetting your "biological clock" (circadian rhythms), which controls sleeping and waking.
If you have eye problems or you take medicines that make you light-sensitive, ask your doctor about whether light therapy is safe for you. Before you start treatment, tell your doctor about any other conditions you have and about the medicines you are taking.
Light therapy will need to be continued for the entire time you are depressed. People who discontinue treatment usually lapse back into depression.
Antidepressants effectively treat episodes of depression in people who have seasonal affective disorder. You may start to feel better within 1 to 3 weeks of taking antidepressant medicine. But it can take as many as 6 to 8 weeks to see more improvement. If you have questions or concerns about your medicines, or if you do not notice any improvement by 3 weeks, talk to your doctor. Antidepressants can be used along with light therapy or alone. The most common antidepressants used to treat people with seasonal affective disorder include:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Examples include citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (such as Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft).
Other antidepressants. Examples include bupropion (Wellbutrin or Zyban), desipramine (Norpramin), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or venlafaxine (Effexor).
SSRIs are usually the first type of antidepressants given to treat SAD. SSRIs often have less serious side effects than other antidepressants. All antidepressant medicines are started at low doses and increased gradually. When stopped, they should be decreased gradually to avoid side effects.
Reading a good book such as the Bible helps very much.