Tis the season to be SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Ashley Cravillion
Issue date: 12/3/09 Section: Life
People with summer SAD, or reverse SAD, often have a decreased appetite with weight loss, sleep fewer hours than normal, wake up depressed and feel restless and fidgety.
Diagnose
According to the Mayo Clinic, to be diagnosed with SAD a person must meet certain criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
First, a person must have experienced depression and other SAD symptoms for at least two consecutive years, during the same season every year. Second, the periods of depression have been followed by periods without depression. Third, there are no other explanations for the changes in your mood or behavior.
To help diagnose SAD, doctors will usually use other tests to rule out other conditions. The doctor will ask detailed questions about moods, behavior and lifestyle. Finally, a physical exam will be given to check for any underlying physical conditions which could have caused the depression. There is no real medical test to determine if a person has SAD.
Treatment
Herzog said there are three types of treatment for SAD: light therapy, medications and psychotherapy. Light therapy involves using a bright light box one sits in front of for about 30 minutes to 2 hours each morning. The light box helps replace the lack of outdoor lighting and may cause a change in serotonin levels in the brain and cause a positive change in mood. The light also helps reset the body's biological clock.
Another form of treatment is the use of medication. Standard antidepressant medications, such as Prozac and Zoloft, appear to be as effective as light therapy for treating seasonal affective disorder. It may take a few weeks for the antidepressant medications to have any effects on symptoms of SAD.
The last form of treatment offered is psychotherapy. This type of treatment involves one-on-one verbal communication with a therapist. Most people who choose psychotherapy discuss their negative thoughts and behaviors. The therapist teaches these people how to cope with these feelings and manage their stress.
Diagnose
According to the Mayo Clinic, to be diagnosed with SAD a person must meet certain criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
First, a person must have experienced depression and other SAD symptoms for at least two consecutive years, during the same season every year. Second, the periods of depression have been followed by periods without depression. Third, there are no other explanations for the changes in your mood or behavior.
To help diagnose SAD, doctors will usually use other tests to rule out other conditions. The doctor will ask detailed questions about moods, behavior and lifestyle. Finally, a physical exam will be given to check for any underlying physical conditions which could have caused the depression. There is no real medical test to determine if a person has SAD.
Treatment
Herzog said there are three types of treatment for SAD: light therapy, medications and psychotherapy. Light therapy involves using a bright light box one sits in front of for about 30 minutes to 2 hours each morning. The light box helps replace the lack of outdoor lighting and may cause a change in serotonin levels in the brain and cause a positive change in mood. The light also helps reset the body's biological clock.
Another form of treatment is the use of medication. Standard antidepressant medications, such as Prozac and Zoloft, appear to be as effective as light therapy for treating seasonal affective disorder. It may take a few weeks for the antidepressant medications to have any effects on symptoms of SAD.
The last form of treatment offered is psychotherapy. This type of treatment involves one-on-one verbal communication with a therapist. Most people who choose psychotherapy discuss their negative thoughts and behaviors. The therapist teaches these people how to cope with these feelings and manage their stress.
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