How Can A Weekly Seasonal Depression Symptoms Project Can Change Your Life
Seasonal Depression Symptoms
As with other types of depression, those with SAD experience sadness or a feeling of sadness in their everyday activities. They may lose interest with family and friends, sleep more, or have difficulty waking up. They also have a craving for carbohydrates, which provide the body immediate energy.
severe depression and anxiety symptoms iampsychiatry.com in fall and winter can affect the brain pathways that help regulate mood. Some people may experience mild symptoms, while others experience symptoms that are serious enough to disrupt relationships and work.
Treatment
There are many options for treatment. People with SAD can benefit from light therapy, psychotherapy and medications. They also can make simple changes that will help ease symptoms and improve mood.
SAD can be mild, moderate or severe. It can trigger changes in the person's energy levels, appetite, and concentration. People with SAD may be more angry and irritable often. They may also have trouble concentrating and making decisions. Some people suffering from SAD are unable to sleep well, which can lead to fatigue throughout the daytime. The change in seasons can trigger symptoms of SAD. The shorter hours of daylight in the winter and fall seasons can affect a person's biological rhythms. It can decrease serotonin levels, and increase the level of melatonin. This can cause insomnia or cause depression.
People suffering from SAD typically report feeling down or sad at certain times of the year. These symptoms usually occur in winter or the fall, and they feel better in spring. In summer, they might experience episodes where they feel happy or high. People suffering from SAD may have more episodes of depression than other people. SAD can be confused with other mood disorders. It is essential to get medical advice.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment for SAD. CBT is a kind of psychotherapy which teaches people how to challenge and change thoughts that are not helpful. CBT for SAD focuses primarily on changing negative thoughts about the season to more helpful ones. It helps people find fun activities to counteract their loss of interest in winter or summer.
It's not clear what the effectiveness of herbal remedies or supplements can be for SAD. Many dietary and herbal supplements aren't controlled in the similar way medicines are. They could cause serious problems when they interact with prescription drugs. Consult your healthcare provider prior to taking any dietary or herbal supplement.
Medication
The symptoms of seasonal depression are more severe than the occasional "winter blues." Your GP can help diagnose and treat these symptoms when you experience them throughout the year at the same time. Treatment options include light therapy, psychotherapy and medications.
The winter-pattern SAD is characterized by depressive episodes that happen each year during the winter and fall. These episodes may be associated with a lack of energy, an increase in appetite and a preference for starchy foods as well as sleep disturbance and weight gain. These symptoms can cause you to feel helpless or depressed, and may even lead to suicide in extreme instances.
Certain people suffering from SAD might benefit from taking bupropion, which is a dopamine-inhibitor. This medication helps to regulate the levels of dopamine and serotonin and reduces the feeling of being depressed and irritable. This is a relatively recent kind of antidepressant that has been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat SAD.
Your doctor will recommend the most effective medication for you based on your particular symptoms and the severity of your illness. They might suggest starting antidepressants in the fall, before your seasonal symptoms typically start each year, and continue taking them until spring. Based on your specific symptoms, they may also recommend that you utilize a light box or lamp to simulate sunlight and promote the release of serotonin.
It's crucial to understand that, even though many people suffering from SAD suffer from a deficiency of vitamin D, there is no evidence to support this as a cause for the condition. However, ensuring that your diet is a source of healthy foods and that you spend sufficient time outside in the sun can help.
SAD can be very challenging and the symptoms may appear to last for a long time. It is important to know that there are a variety of solutions for this condition. With the assistance of your GP you can get rid of symptoms and get back 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
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that is seen in the fall and winter and improves in the spring and summer. It is caused by changes in the amount of sunlight and biological clocks, which may cause disturbances in sleep, eating habits and mood. Antidepressants, light therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy can ease symptoms of seasonal depression.
Researchers aren't certain what causes SAD. They believe that less sunlight triggers a change in the chemical in the brain, which leads to depression. People suffering from SAD are more likely to suffer from other mental health problems which include bipolar disorder and major depression. They may be also at risk due to the family history of mental health issues like depression or schizophrenia.
People with winter-pattern SAD typically have lower levels of the chemical in the brain called serotonin, which regulates mood. The low levels of this chemical can cause problems with sleeping and focusing, as well as being sad. People who suffer from summer-pattern SAD might have lower levels of melatonin which can alter sleep patterns and increase feelings of depression.
SAD symptoms include low energy, sadness as well as difficulty concentrating and a loss of enthusiasm for the activities you normally like. In some instances you may decide to cut off contact with family and friends during the wintery, cold months or lose weight as a way to cope with your negative emotions. You might also start to feel suicidal or suicidal, which is a major medical emergency that requires immediate care.
Talk therapy can help SAD sufferers overcome their depression by changing unhealthy thought patterns and behavior. In sessions of psychotherapy, your therapist will ask you questions and encourage you to be attentive to how you react in difficult situations. Then, you'll collaborate to come up with strategies to handle these situations differently.
Psychotherapy is most successful when it is targeted to a specific problem, such as SAD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most promising treatments available for SAD. CBT was created by Aaron Beck in the 1960s. It is based on Albert Ellis’ rational emotive behaviour therapy. It focuses on transforming destructive patterns of "emotional reasoning” that lead to depression.
Light therapy
Many people feel tired, sluggish and depressed when the seasons change. For some, these issues are more serious than a normal situation of "winter blues," and can cause depression known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD. If you are suffering from this condition, a few lifestyle changes can ease symptoms and help restore your normal mood.
Bright light therapy, or phototherapy, has been found to help alleviate symptoms of SAD and other conditions that influence your mood. A morning routine of using a light with a full spectrum or box can reduce symptoms. Light therapy increases your serotonin levels, a natural chemical that boosts your mood. It can also prevent the deterioration of your circadian rhythm, the body's internal clock that controls sleep cycles, and other important functions.
The best results for SAD are achieved through a specific device that emits 10,000 lux of bright white light, around the same brightness as outside on clear days in July. Your doctor may suggest that you sit or stand in front of the device for 30 minutes each day, starting in the morning.
You may experience some headaches or eye strain while using the light, however these effects will usually disappear by adjusting the intensity of the light as well as the distance between you and the light source. Use a light box with a filter that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays. These radiations can cause damage to your eyes and skin. You can purchase a light box from your physician or find one on the Internet however, make sure it's medically approved for the treatment of SAD.
You should tell your healthcare professional whether you suffer from bipolar disorder or another mental health problem, as in some individuals treatment with bright light therapy or antidepressants may trigger a manic episode. These risks can be minimized by using these treatments under the supervision of a psychiatrist.