By Robin Chase
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during the winter months. This depression can sap people’s energy and make them feel moody.
While it is normal to feel different depending on the day’s temperature, it is not normal to feel down for days at a time based on the season. Those who do have SAD.
Treatment for this disorder can vary between medication, light therapy and psychotherapy. The severity of the depression may start out mild in the fall and then become more severe as the winter season progresses. A person’s mood may then improve in the sunnier days of spring.
In some rare cases, the disorder can affect people in the reverse pattern, getting worse as summer progresses. In both cases, the symptoms of SAD may include problems sleeping, having low energy, feeling sluggish, changes in appetite or weight and suicidal thoughts. It may also include feeling sad, guilty and down, feeling tense and stressed and having a low desire for sex or other physical contact.
Winter SAD symptoms can include oversleeping, low energy, craving foods rich in carbohydrates and sugar and weight gain. Summer SAD symptoms may include insomnia, poor appetite, weight loss and agitation or anxiety.
If you can’t get motivated to do the usual activities you normally enjoy, are depressed for days at a time, need alcohol to cope with life or think about suicide, talk to your doctor. While it is good to be aware of how you feel, it is important that a doctor diagnose you because even if you have depression, it may not be SAD.
SAD affects about 2% to 3% percent of the general population, with another 15% experiencing a milder depression. Adult women in their 30s are most likely to be affected, as well as people that live in northern cities where the amount of sunshine differs from that of those places closer to the equator. If you have depression at the same time of year for more than 2 years, you may have SAD.
At night, a gland in the brain produces the hormone melatonin, which increases drowsiness and helps people sleep. In winter, when there is less light, it is possible that increased melatonin levels during the day also cause drowsiness.
A chemical in the brain, called serotonin, is also affected by light. This chemical affects mood, in that decreases in serotonin can cause depression.
When using light therapy to combat depression, it is important to consult a doctor as there may be side effects, as with other forms of treatment. Treatment involves sitting close to a certain type of light for about 30 minutes to 2 hours a day, and helps about 60% to 80% of those suffering from SAD.
Effective light sources can include fluorescent light and light visors. When beginning light therapy, it may take 2 to 4 weeks for symptoms to subside. Light boxes may cost between $250 and $500. It is important to find one that has a UV filter to block ultraviolet rays.
