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KEY POINTS
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Depression is a condition in which you feel sad, hopeless, and uninterested in daily life. Depressive disorder with seasonal pattern is depression that starts in fall or winter and gets better in spring and summer. This form of depression can sometimes be severe. Depressive disorder with seasonal pattern is also called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Usually SAD is a lifelong condition.
The exact cause of SAD is not known. It is known that light, including sunlight, can affect hormones and brain chemicals. These hormones and chemicals control body rhythms, such as how much you sleep, and also control mood. It is not known why some people seem to be more sensitive to getting less sunlight. It is more common if other people in your family have depression.
SAD is more common the further north or south you live from the equator. SAD is more common in women. It usually starts during the young adult years.
The symptoms of SAD are somewhat different from other depressions. In colder climates you may get depressed as the days get shorter in the winter, and then feel active and happy as the days get longer in the spring. If you have SAD, in the fall and winter, symptoms may include:
In the northern hemisphere, January and February are usually the months with the greatest symptoms. When spring arrives each year, you are likely to feel energized and be very active. These symptoms must be a pattern for at least 2 years before they are considered seasonal affective disorder.
Your healthcare provider or therapist will ask about your symptoms. He will make sure you do not have a medical illness or drug or alcohol problem that could cause the symptoms.
The first treatment for SAD is increasing exposure to sunlight or full spectrum lights, which are light bulbs that are like sunlight. Medicine and therapy are also helpful.
Light Therapy
Lamps or light boxes with light bulbs that imitate sunlight are used. These are up to 25 times as bright as normal fluorescent bulbs. Some people use these lights every morning. Other people try to spend more time outside during the winter to get more sunlight.
Medicine
Several types of medicines can help. Your healthcare provider will work with you to select the best medicine. You may need to take more than one type of medicine.
Therapy
Seeing a mental health therapist in addition to light therapy may be helpful with seasonal affective disorder.
Other treatments
Learning ways to relax may help. Yoga and meditation may also be helpful. You may want to talk with your healthcare provider about using these methods along with medicines and therapy.
Claims have been made that certain herbal and dietary products help control depression symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids may help to reduce symptoms of depression. St. John's wort may help mild symptoms of depression. It will not help severe cases of depression. No herb or dietary supplement has been proven to consistently or completely relieve the symptoms of depression. Supplements are not tested or standardized and may vary in strengths and effects. They may have side effects and are not always safe. Talk with your healthcare provider before you use any of these products.
To help reduce the effects of seasonal affective disorder:
Get emergency care if you or a loved one have serious thoughts of suicide or harming others.
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