Seasonal Depression Symptoms 101 A Complete Guide For Beginners

Seasonal Depression Symptoms

SAD is characterised by sadness or a decline in the enjoyment of everyday activities. They may lose interest in friends and family, sleep more or have trouble waking up, and crave carbohydrates that give the body quick energy.

Less sunlight in fall and winter can impact brain pathways that help regulate mood. Some sufferers have mild symptoms while others experience symptoms that are so severe as to interfere in relationships and at work.

Treatment

The good news is that treatment options are available. Psychotherapy, light therapy and medication can help sufferers with SAD. Simple changes can aid in relieving symptoms and improve mood.

SAD can be severe or mild. It can affect people's concentration, energy level and appetite. People with SAD may feel angry and frustrated more easily. They may also have trouble concentrating or making decisions. Certain people with SAD are unable to sleep well, which can lead to a lack of energy throughout the daytime. The changing seasons can cause symptoms of SAD. The shorter hours of daylight during winter and fall seasons can alter a person's biological rhythms. This can reduce serotonin levels and increase melatonin. This can cause insomnia or depression.

People suffering from SAD typically report feeling down or sad at a certain time of the year. The symptoms typically manifest in winter or fall and then they feel better in spring. In summer, they might have episodes where they feel elated or high. People with SAD might experience more depression episodes than other people. SAD can be confused with other mood disorders. It's crucial to seek an medical diagnosis.

CBT (cognitive symptoms of depression behavioral therapy) is a highly effective treatment option for SAD. CBT is a form of psychotherapy that helps people to challenge and change unhelpful thoughts. CBT for SAD focuses primarily on changing negative thoughts about the season to more helpful ones. It also assists people in finding pleasurable activities to offset the lack of interest they typically have 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 do not have the same degree of control as prescription drugs. They can interact with prescription medications and cause serious issues. Consult your doctor prior to taking any dietary or herbal supplements.

Medication

The symptoms of seasonal depressive disorder are more serious than a few "winter blues." Your GP can identify and treat these symptoms if you experience them every year at the same time. Treatment options include light therapy, psychotherapy and medication.

The winter-pattern SAD is characterized by depressive episodes that happen throughout the year in the winter and fall. These episodes can be accompanied by a lack energy, an increased appetite and a craving for food that is starchy and sleep disturbances, as well as weight gain. These symptoms can lead to feelings of hopelessness, despair and even suicidal thoughts in the most severe instances.

In addition to antidepressants, some people with SAD benefit by taking a dopamine inhibitor like bupropion. This medication can help balance your serotonin and dopamine levels and reduces the tendency to feel lethargic and angry. This is a relatively new antidepressant that is approved for use by the U.S. Food Signs and symptoms of major depression Drug Administration to treat SAD.

Your doctor will prescribe the right medication for you depending on your symptoms and severity. They might suggest that you begin antidepressants during the fall before your seasonal symptoms typically start each year, and continue to take them until spring. They may also suggest that you use the light box or lamp to simulate sunlight, which can encourage serotonin release.

It's important to know that while many people with SAD are suffering from a vitamin D deficiency, there is no proof that this is the cause of their illness. You can improve your health by consuming an appropriate diet and spending enough time outdoors in the sunlight.

SAD can be very challenging and the symptoms may appear to last for a long time. It is essential to understand that there are numerous treatments for this condition. With the assistance of your GP you can overcome 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

SAD is a type of depression that is common in winter and fall seasons and is more severe in the spring and summer. It is caused by changes in sunlight exposure and biological rhythms that can affect sleep, eating mood and behavior. Seasonal primary depression symptoms can be treated with antidepressants, cognitive therapy and light therapy.

Researchers don't know what causes SAD. They believe that a lack of sunlight triggers chemical changes in the brain that can lead to depression. People with SAD are more likely to have other mental health issues such as major depression and bipolar disorder. They could also be at risk due to an ancestral history of mental health problems, such as schizophrenia or depression.

People with winter-pattern SAD generally have lower levels of the brain chemical serotonin that regulates mood. The low levels of this chemical may cause problems with sleeping, thinking clearly and being sad. People who suffer from summer-related SAD may have lower melatonin levels, which can alter sleep patterns and increase depression-related symptoms.

The symptoms of SAD are depression, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and losing interest in the activities that you normally enjoy. In some instances, you might withdraw from friends and family during the cold, dark months or lose weight to cope with your emotions that are negative. You may also begin to feel suicidal, which is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate attention.

Talk therapy can help people suffering from SAD overcome depression by changing unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors. During psychotherapy sessions, your therapist will ask questions and encourage you to pay attention to how you respond to difficult situations. Then, you'll collaborate to come up with strategies to handle these situations in a different way.

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

Light therapy

As the seasons change, seasons many people feel slow, tired and down. For some, these issues are more serious than a normal case of the "winter blues" and can lead to depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. If you are suffering from this disorder it is possible to make a few minor lifestyle changes and the assistance of medication or psychotherapy can alleviate your symptoms and bring your mood back to normal.

Research has shown that bright light therapy, also referred to as phototherapy, can alleviate symptoms of SAD and other conditions affecting your mood. A morning routine of using a full-spectrum light or light box can help alleviate symptoms. Light therapy increases your serotonin production, which is a natural chemical that boosts your mood. It also helps prevent a decrease in your circadian clock, which is the body's inner clock that controls 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 experience outside on a sunny 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 recognizing early signs of depression hours of the morning, all week.

You might experience headaches or eye strain when using the light source, however these effects typically disappear when you alter the intensity of the light as well as the distance between you and the light source. It's important to make use of a light source that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays which can cause damage to your eyes and the skin. You can buy the lightbox from your healthcare provider, or you can find one on the internet. Make sure it is medically approved to treat SAD.

It is essential to inform your healthcare provider whether you suffer from bipolar disorder or any other mental health condition, because in some people, bright light therapy or antidepressants can cause a manic episode. These risks can be mitigated by using these treatments with the guidance of a doctor.