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Seasonal Depression Symptoms

SAD is characterised by sadness or a lack in enjoyment of everyday activities. They may lose interest in family members and friends, sleep more, or have difficulty getting up. They also crave carbohydrates, which provide the body instant energy.

The brain's pathways for regulating mood can be affected by the absence of sunlight during winter and fall. Some people experience mild symptoms, but others suffer from symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with relationships and work.

Treatment

There are a variety of options for treatment. Light therapy, psychotherapy, and medication can assist people with SAD. Simple changes can also help relieve symptoms and improve mood.

SAD can be either severe or mild. It can lead to changes in a person's energy levels, appetite, and concentration. Some people with SAD can feel angry and frustrated more frequently. They may also have trouble in concentrating or making decisions. Some sufferers of SAD experience difficulty sleeping and this could cause them to lose energy throughout the day. The change in seasons can cause symptoms of SAD. The shorter daylight in the fall and winter may affect a person’s biological rhythms. Serotonin levels can drop and increase melatonin. This can cause insomnia or cause depression.

People who suffer from SAD feel down or sad at certain times of the year. These symptoms usually occur in winter or fall and then they feel better in spring. In summer, they might experience periods of feeling elevated or euphoric. SAD sufferers may experience more episodes of depression. SAD is sometimes confused with other mood disorders. It's crucial to seek an medical diagnosis.

CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy) is a successful treatment option for SAD. CBT is a form of psychotherapy that teaches people how to challenge and change unhelpful thinking. symptoms of depression symptoms of depression for SAD is focused on changing negative thoughts about the season to more helpful ones. It also assists people to find pleasurable activities to offset the loss of interest they usually experience in the summer or winter months.

It's not clear how effective herbal remedies or supplements are for SAD. Many herbs and dietary supplements aren't controlled in the similar way drugs are. They can interact with prescription drugs and cause serious problems. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any herbal or dietary supplements.

Medication

The symptoms of seasonal depression are more severe than the occasional "winter blues." If you suffer from these mood swings every year, at the same time you GP can help diagnose and treat your symptoms. Treatment options include light therapy, psychotherapy and medication.

Winter-pattern SAD is characterised by depressive episodes that take place throughout the year in the winter and fall seasons. These episodes are often caused by fatigue and a greater appetite and a craving for starchy foods as well as sleep disturbances and weight growth. These symptoms can cause feelings of despair, hopelessness and even suicidal thoughts in most severe cases.

In addition to antidepressants certain people suffering from SAD benefit from taking a dopamine-inhibitor like bupropion. This medication helps balance the levels of dopamine and serotonin which reduce the possibility of feeling depressed and angry. This is a relatively new antidepressant that is approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat SAD.

Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you, depending on your symptoms and the severity. They'll likely suggest that you start antidepressants before seasonal symptoms usually start each year, and then continue taking them until spring. They might also suggest that you use the light box or lamp to simulate sunlight, which can encourage serotonin to release.

It's important that you know that, even though many people suffering from SAD experience a deficiency in vitamin D, there is no evidence to suggest this as a cause for the condition. However, ensuring your diet is a source of healthy foods and that you spend sufficient time outside to get exposed to sunlight can help.

SAD can be extremely challenging and the symptoms may appear to persist for a long time. It is important to know that there are numerous solutions for this condition. With the assistance of your GP you can get rid of symptoms and return to a normal lifestyle. 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

SAD is a type depression that can be seen in winter and autumn and increases during spring and summer. It is caused by changes to sunlight exposure and biological clocks, which can disrupt sleep, eating and mood. Seasonal depression can be treated with antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy and light therapy.

Researchers don't know the cause of SAD. They believe that less sunlight triggers brain chemicals to change which can trigger depression. SAD patients are more likely than others to suffer from other mental disorders, like major depression or bipolar disorder. They may also be at risk due to a family history of mental health conditions, such as depression or schizophrenia.

Serotonin, the brain chemical that regulates mood, is often less in people who have SAD winter-pattern. Low levels of serotonin can affect sleep and the ability to think clearly and lead to sadness. People who suffer from summer-pattern SAD may have lower melatonin levels, which can impact sleeping patterns and trigger depression-related symptoms.

SAD symptoms include depression, sadness, difficulty concentrating and losing interest in the activities you normally enjoy. In some instances you may decide to withdraw from friends and family during the cold, dark months or shed weight as a way to cope with your negative emotions. You may also begin to feel suicidal, which is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate care.

Talk therapy can assist SAD sufferers overcome their depression through the modification of bad habits of thinking and behavior. During sessions, your therapist may ask you questions and help you to pay attention to how you respond to difficult situations. Then, you will work together to come up with new ways to deal with these situations.





Psychotherapy is most effective when it's tailored to a specific issue such as SAD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most promising treatments available for SAD. Developed by Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1960s, CBT was an adaptation of Albert Ellis' rational emotive behavior therapy. It focuses on changing harmful patterns of "emotional reasoning" that can lead to depression.

Light therapy

With the change of seasons people can feel tired and tired, and down. For some, these feelings are more severe than a typical situation of "winter blues" and can cause depression, which is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. If you suffer from this condition, a few lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms and help restore your normal mood.

Research has shown that bright light therapy, also known 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 alleviate symptoms. Light therapy increases your serotonin production, a natural chemical that improves your mood. It also helps prevent the decline in your circadian rhythm. This is the internal clock of your body that regulates sleep cycles, and other important functions.

The best results for SAD are achieved through an instrument that emits 10,000 lux of bright white light, about the same amount of light as outside on an uncloudy day in July. Your healthcare provider may recommend that you sit or stand in front of the device for 30 minutes each day, starting in the morning.

You may experience some eye strain or headaches while using the light, however these effects typically disappear when you alter the intensity of the light and the distance between you and the light source. It's important to make use of a light source that filters out the harmful ultraviolet rays that could damage your eyes and skin. You can purchase a light box from your physician or find one on the Internet However, be sure that it's approved by a medical professional for treatment of SAD.

It is essential to inform your doctor if you have bipolar disorder or another mental health condition, because in some people bright light therapy or antidepressants could trigger a manic episode. These risks can be minimized by using these treatments under the guidance of a psychiatrist.