Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Statistics show that there is an increase in the rate of suicides during winter months around the holidays. Is that because of the holidays, or is it something more? Perhaps a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder could be a factor.
You may have heard this term before in its acronym SAD. It is somewhat appropriate that the initials spell out what most people are feeling when they suffer from this disorder. Let’s talk a little more about SAD.
Seasonal affective disorder is a depression-related disorder. You may be thinking that all depression is the same. Well, this is not totally true. There is a danger with lumping all depressive disorders into one category. For instance, diagnosis and treatment differ from one form of depression to another.
With SAD, people are generally affected during certain times of the year. Symptoms generally appear during the fall and winter months but can occur any time of year depending on the patient. Seasonal affective disorder involves the functioning of the brain.
People who suffer from seasonal affective disorder during the fall and winter months do so most likely because of the limited amount of daylight and sunlight. With days getting shorter, we often go to work and school in the dark and return home in the dark, too. We very seldom see the light of day. Then, when daylight savings time goes into effect in the fall, it gets even worse with the night coming earlier and earlier.
To help understand what happens when we are denied sunlight for long periods of time, let's look at a bit of brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters in the brain work with the receptors that affect mood. One hormone in the body, melatonin is produced when we sleep.
With the loss of daylight, our internal timer can be off, producing too much melatonin. Increased melatonin in the brain produced by these sleep-like dark days can bring about symptoms of depression such as:
Irritability
Sleeping too much
Weight gain
Lack of concentration
Lack of interest
Anxiety
Depressed mood, thoughts, action
These symptoms of SAD mirror many of the signs and symptoms of other depressive disorders. Now, if you have any of these symptoms, you may be concerned that you are clinically depressed. Take a deep breath, relax, and consider your symptoms. If your symptoms seem to get better when spring rolls around, daylight savings time goes into effect, and you spend more time outside during daylight hours, then seasonal affective disorder may be the cause.
Discuss your symptoms with your doctor and be sure to ask about seasonal affective disorder. SAD affects many people during the dark days of winter. If you are suffering from this seasonal disorder, there is help. Treatment with light therapy is often very effective, although some people may require medication, at least for a short time. Work with your doctor to get the very best results when fighting this very treatable disorder. The best prescription may be a good old fashioned day in the sun - and wouldn't that be great!
Statistics show that there is an increase in the rate of suicides during winter months around the holidays. Is that because of the holidays, or is it something more? Perhaps a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder could be a factor.
You may have heard this term before in its acronym SAD. It is somewhat appropriate that the initials spell out what most people are feeling when they suffer from this disorder. Let’s talk a little more about SAD.
Seasonal affective disorder is a depression-related disorder. You may be thinking that all depression is the same. Well, this is not totally true. There is a danger with lumping all depressive disorders into one category. For instance, diagnosis and treatment differ from one form of depression to another.
With SAD, people are generally affected during certain times of the year. Symptoms generally appear during the fall and winter months but can occur any time of year depending on the patient. Seasonal affective disorder involves the functioning of the brain.
People who suffer from seasonal affective disorder during the fall and winter months do so most likely because of the limited amount of daylight and sunlight. With days getting shorter, we often go to work and school in the dark and return home in the dark, too. We very seldom see the light of day. Then, when daylight savings time goes into effect in the fall, it gets even worse with the night coming earlier and earlier.
To help understand what happens when we are denied sunlight for long periods of time, let's look at a bit of brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters in the brain work with the receptors that affect mood. One hormone in the body, melatonin is produced when we sleep.
With the loss of daylight, our internal timer can be off, producing too much melatonin. Increased melatonin in the brain produced by these sleep-like dark days can bring about symptoms of depression such as:
Irritability
Sleeping too much
Weight gain
Lack of concentration
Lack of interest
Anxiety
Depressed mood, thoughts, action
These symptoms of SAD mirror many of the signs and symptoms of other depressive disorders. Now, if you have any of these symptoms, you may be concerned that you are clinically depressed. Take a deep breath, relax, and consider your symptoms. If your symptoms seem to get better when spring rolls around, daylight savings time goes into effect, and you spend more time outside during daylight hours, then seasonal affective disorder may be the cause.
Discuss your symptoms with your doctor and be sure to ask about seasonal affective disorder. SAD affects many people during the dark days of winter. If you are suffering from this seasonal disorder, there is help. Treatment with light therapy is often very effective, although some people may require medication, at least for a short time. Work with your doctor to get the very best results when fighting this very treatable disorder. The best prescription may be a good old fashioned day in the sun - and wouldn't that be great!
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