15 Interesting Facts About Seasonal Depression Symptoms You Didn t Know

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Seasonal Depression Symptoms

Similar to other forms of depression, those with SAD feel depressed or have a feeling of sadness in their daily activities. They may lose interest in family and friends, sleep more often or have difficulty getting up, and crave carbohydrates that provide quick energy.

The brain's pathways for regulating mood can be affected by the lack of sunlight during winter and fall. Some people experience mild symptoms, whereas others experience symptoms that are serious enough to disrupt relationships and work.

Treatment

The good news is that treatment options are available. Light therapy, psychotherapy, and medication can help those suffering from SAD. They can also make small changes that can help relieve their symptoms and improve their mood.

SAD can be mild or severe. It can affect people's concentration and energy level as well as appetite. Some people suffering from SAD might be more angry and irritable frequently. They may also have trouble taking decisions and concentrating. Some people suffering from SAD experience difficulty sleeping, which may cause them to be deficient in energy during the daytime. Symptoms of SAD can be triggered by the change in seasons. The shorter hours of daylight in the fall and winter can alter a person's biological rhythms. This can lower serotonin levels and increase the level of melatonin. This can increase sleepiness or cause depression.

People with SAD frequently feel sad or depressed at a specific time of year. These symptoms typically occur in winter or the fall, and they feel better in spring. In the summer, they may experience periods of feeling elevated or euphoric. SAD patients may have more depression-related episodes. SAD may be confused with other mood disorders. It's crucial to seek a medical diagnosis.

CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy) is a successful treatment option for SAD. CBT is a kind of psychotherapy that teaches individuals how to challenge and change thoughts that are not helpful. CBT for SAD focuses on changing negative thoughts about the season and replacing them with more positive ones. It assists people in finding fun activities to counteract their lack of interest in the summer or winter.

It's not clear what the effectiveness of herbal remedies or supplements are for SAD. Many herbal remedies and dietary supplements aren't regulated the same way as medications are. They can cause serious problems when they interact with prescription medications. Check with your physician prior to taking any herbal or dietary supplement.

Medication

The symptoms of late-life depression of seasonal depression are much more severe than the occasional "winter blues." Your GP can help diagnose and treat these symptoms if you experience them every year at the same time. Treatment options include psychotherapy, light therapy and medication.

Many people who suffer from winter-pattern SAD have depressive episodes that appear and go throughout the year in the fall and winter. These episodes can be associated with a lack of energy and appetite and a desire for starchy foods and sleep disturbances, as well as weight gain. These symptoms can lead to feelings of despair, hopelessness and even suicidal ideas in the most severe instances.

In addition to antidepressants certain people suffering from SAD benefit from taking a dopamine-inhibitor like bupropion. This medication regulates serotonin levels and dopamine levels to reduce the tendency to be unmotivated and irritable. This is a relatively recent kind of antidepressant that is approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat SAD.

Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you, depending on your symptoms and degree of severity. They will likely recommend that you begin antidepressants prior to when the symptoms of seasonality usually begin each year, and continue taking them until spring. Based on the specific symptoms you experience, they may also recommend that you use a lightbox or lamp to mimic sunlight and stimulate the release of serotonin.

It's important to know that while many people with SAD suffer from a lack of vitamin D, there is no proof of this being the reason of their condition. You can improve your health by eating nutritious food and spending enough time outdoors in the sun.

SAD can be very challenging and the symptoms can seem to last for a long period of time. It is essential to know that there are a variety of treatments for this condition. with the help of your GP you can conquer your symptoms and live living your life normally. 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 fall seasons, and improves during the spring and the summer. It is caused by changes in sunlight exposure and biological clocks, which may affect sleep, eating habits and mood. Antidepressants, light therapy, and cognitive behavioral signs of emotional distress of depression (Going On this page) therapy can help improve symptoms of teenage depression of seasonal depression.

Researchers aren't sure what causes SAD. They believe that a lack of sunlight triggers brain chemicals to change which lead to depression. People suffering from SAD are more likely to have other mental health problems which include major depressive symptoms depression and bipolar disorder. They could also be at risk due to family history, for example, a relative who has schizophrenia or depression.

Serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates mood, is often lower in those with SAD winter-pattern. Low levels of serotonin can affect sleep, the ability to think clearly and can cause sadness. Melatonin levels might be lower in people who have SAD summer-pattern. This can affect sleep patterns and trigger depression-like feelings.

SAD symptoms include depression, sadness, difficulty concentrating and loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy. You may withdraw from your family and friends during winter months, or lose weight in order to cope with negative emotions. You might also start to feel suicidal, which is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate care.

Talk therapy can help those who suffer from SAD overcome depression by changing their negative thinking patterns and behavior. During sessions, your therapist may ask you questions or suggest that you pay attention to the way you react to stressful situations. You will then work together to discover new ways to deal with these situations.

Psychotherapy is most effective when it's customized for a specific problem, such as SAD. One of the most promising treatments for SAD is called cognitive behavior therapy or CBT. It was created by Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1960s, CBT is built on Albert Ellis' rational emotive behavior therapy. It is focused on transforming negative patterns of "emotional warning signs of depression reasoning" which can cause depression.

Light therapy

Many people feel tired, slow and depressed as the seasons change. For some, these feelings are more severe than a typical case of the "winter blues," and may lead to depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD. If you're suffering from this disorder, simple lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms and restore your normal mood.

Bright light therapy, or phototherapy, has been shown to improve symptoms of SAD, as well as other conditions that affect your mood. Early morning use of a full spectrum light or light box can help reduce symptoms. Light therapy increases your serotonin production, which is a natural chemical that improves your mood. It also helps prevent a drop in your circadian clock, the internal clock of your body that regulates sleep cycles.

The best results can be achieved with a device that emits 10,000 Lux of bright white light. This is about the same brightness that you get outside on a bright day in July. Your healthcare professional will recommend that you stand or sit in the front of the device every day for 30 minutes or more starting in the early morning, seven days a week.

You may experience some eye strain or headaches while using the light, but these effects will usually disappear if you adjust the intensity of the light and the distance between you and the light source. Use a light box with filters that block harmful ultraviolet rays. These radiations can cause damage to your skin and eyes. You can buy a lightbox from your healthcare provider, or you can find one online. Make sure it is medically approved to treat SAD.

Tell your healthcare provider if you suffer from bipolar disorder or any other mental disorder you are suffering from. Bright light therapy, or antidepressants can cause manic episodes in certain people. The risk can be minimized by utilizing these treatments under the guidance of a physician.