Are you SAD? Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

Dark, dreary days make many of us want to stay in bed or, at the least, curl up in front of a nice fire with a good book. Some people, however, seem to get progressively gloomier as sunny autumn days turn to winter gray. Doctors have shown that these susceptible people are reacting physically to the shorter hours of daylight in the winter months by developing a seasonal mood disorder. Their condition is called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD. A form of clinical depression, the disorder may require medical treatment, depending on its severity, and should be taken seriously.

Symptoms of Seasonsal Affective Disorder

These “winter blues” are more common in the higher latitudes and are thought to be a direct cause of the decrease in exposure to daylight. While doctors have yet to agree on the exact cause of SAD, they believe the lack of daylight triggers hormonal changes in the body, producing symptoms of sadness and lack of energy.

• Mild cases of SAD may respond to increasing physical exercise or choosing outdoor activities on sunny winter days. (Exercise is known to lift other types of mild depression.)

• More serious bouts of SAD may require scheduled exposure to a bright light-box. Light treatment is successful 85 percent of the time, and the effects are felt within a week of treatment.

• For those individuals who need additional help, antidepressant medication is available.

• Other treatments that have shown success with some individuals are cognitive therapy and exposure to negative air ionization.

If you experience the symptoms of SAD, see your doctor – and remember that the longer days of spring are just a few months away!

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