Seasonal Depression Symptoms

Like other types of depression, people with SAD may experience sadness or feeling of sadness in their everyday activities. They may lose interest with family and friends, sleep more, or have difficulty waking up. They also have a craving for carbohydrates, which gives the body instant energy.

The brain's mood-regulating pathways can be affected by the absence of sunlight in the fall and winter months. Some people experience mild symptoms, while others experience symptoms that are severe enough to cause problems in relationships and at work.

Treatment

The good news is that treatment options are available. Light therapy, psychotherapy, and medication can assist sufferers with SAD. Simple changes can help relieve symptoms and improve mood.

SAD can be mild, moderate or severe. It can lead to changes in an individual's energy levels, appetite and concentration. Some people suffering from SAD might feel angry and frustrated more often. They may also have difficulty taking decisions or concentrating. Certain people with SAD have difficulty sleeping which can result in fatigue during the day. The changing seasons can trigger symptoms of SAD. The shorter hours of daylight during winter and autumn seasons could alter a person's biological rhythms. This can reduce serotonin levels and increase melatonin. This can cause insomnia or cause depression.

People who suffer from SAD feel depressed or sad at a particular time of the year. The symptoms typically manifest in the fall or winter, and they feel better in the spring. In summer, they can also have episodes where they feel elevated or euphoric. People with SAD may experience more episodes of depression than other people. SAD is sometimes confused with other mood disorders. It's important to get an assessment from a medical doctor.

Cognitive behavioral indicators of depression therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for SAD. CBT is a kind of psychotherapy which teaches people how to challenge and alter negative thinking. CBT for SAD focuses on changing negative thoughts associated with the season to more positive ones. It helps people find fun activities to counteract their lack of interest in the summer or winter.

It's not known how effective herbal supplements or remedies are for SAD. Many herbal remedies and dietary supplements do not have the same level of regulation as medications. They could cause serious problems when they interact with prescription drugs. Consult your healthcare provider prior to taking any dietary or herbal supplement.

Medication

The symptoms of seasonal depression disorder are more serious than just a few "winter blues." If you suffer from these mood swings throughout the year at the same time your GP can help diagnose and manage your symptoms of late-life depression. Treatment options include light therapy, psychotherapy, and medications.

Winter-pattern SAD is defined by depressive episodes that take place every year during the winter and fall. These episodes are often associated with a lack of energy, increased appetite and an appetite for starchy foods, sleep disruption and weight increase. These symptoms can trigger feelings of hopelessness, despair and even suicidal thoughts in most severe instances.

In addition to antidepressants some people with SAD benefit from taking a dopamine inhibitor like bupropion. This medication helps balance your serotonin levels and dopamine levels to reduce the possibility of being unmotivated and irritable. This is a relatively brand new type of antidepressant that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use to treat SAD.

Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you according to your symptoms and degree of severity. They will probably recommend starting antidepressants during the fall before your symptoms that are seasonal begin every year and continue to take them until spring. Based on the specific symptoms you experience they might also suggest that you use a lightbox or lamp to mimic sunlight and stimulate the release of serotonin.

It's crucial to understand that, although many people with SAD suffer from a lack of vitamin D, there is no evidence to support this as a cause for the disease. You can improve your health by eating nutritious food and spending time in the sunshine.

SAD can be very challenging, and the symptoms of postpartum depression can seem to last for a long time. It is important to know that there are numerous solutions for this condition. With the help of your GP you can conquer symptoms and return to regular life. For more information on seasonal affective disorder and other mental health conditions, visit the Health Matters blog(link opens in a new window) at NewYork-Presbyterian.

Cognitive behavior therapy

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a kind of depression that manifests in winter and fall and improves in the spring and summer. It is caused by changes in the amount of sunlight exposure and biological rhythms which can alter sleep, eating habits, mood and behavior. Seasonal depression can be treated by taking antidepressants, cognitive behavior therapy and light therapy.

Researchers aren't sure what causes SAD. They believe that a lack of sunlight causes brain chemical changes which can trigger depression. SAD sufferers are more likely than other people to be suffering from mental health warning signs conditions, such as major depression or bipolar disorder. They could also be susceptible due to an ancestral history of mental health problems such as schizophrenia or depression.

People suffering from winter-pattern SAD often have lower levels of the chemical in the brain called serotonin, which regulates mood. Low levels of this chemical may result in problems sleeping, thinking clearly and being sad. Melatonin levels could be lower in people with SAD summer-pattern. This can affect sleep patterns and trigger feelings of depression.

The symptoms of SAD are depression, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and an absence of interest in the activities you normally enjoy. In certain instances, you might be unable to connect with family and friends during the wintery, cold months or shed weight to deal with your negative emotions. You may also start to feel suicidal. This is a serious medical condition that requires immediate attention.

Talk therapy can help people with SAD overcome their depression by changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. During sessions, your therapist will ask you questions or suggest that you pay attention to your reactions to difficult situations. Then, you'll collaborate to come up with ways to approach these situations in a different way.

Psychotherapy is most successful when it is specifically tailored to a particular issue such as SAD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one subtle signs of depression the most promising therapies available for SAD. CBT was developed by Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1960s, CBT was built on Albert Ellis' rational emotive behavior therapy. It focuses on reversing the negative patterns of "emotional reasoning" that lead to depression.

Light therapy

As the seasons change, seasons many people feel slow exhausted, fatigued and depressed. For some, these symptoms are more serious than a normal case of the "winter blues" and can cause depression, which is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. If you are suffering from this disorder just a few lifestyle changes and the help of psychotherapy or medication can relieve your symptoms and restore your mood to normal.

Research has proven that bright light therapy, also referred to as phototherapy, can improve symptoms of SAD and other conditions that affect your mood. A morning routine of using a full-spectrum light or light box can help reduce early symptoms of depression. Light therapy boosts serotonin production, which is a natural chemical which boosts your mood. It can also prevent a drop in your circadian clock, the internal clock of your body that regulates sleep cycles.

The best results can be achieved by using a device that emits 10,000 Lux of bright white light. This is the same brightness that you see outside on a sunny day in July. Your doctor may suggest that you stand or sit in front of the device for 30 minutes every day, beginning in the morning.

You might experience headaches or eye strain while using the light, but these effects usually go away when you alter the intensity of the light as well as the distance between you and the light source. It is important to utilize a light box that filters out the harmful ultraviolet rays that could cause damage to your eyes and the skin. You can purchase a lightbox through your doctor, or find one online. Just make sure that it's medically endorsed to treat SAD.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have bipolar disorder, or any other mental illness, you have. Bright light therapy, also known as antidepressants, can cause manic episodes in certain people. These risks can be mitigated by using these treatments with the guidance of a doctor.