Seasonal Affective Disorder (aka SAD) is a form of major depression that appears late in the year, when the days get shorter and the temperatures get colder. Recent reports show that episodes of SAD last about four months and up to 35 percent of sufferers require hospital care at some point. People with SAD also tend to eat more junk food and food rich in carbohydrates. Although the cause of seasonal affective disorder is unknown, antidepressants and behavioral therapy can help treat it. Cleveland Clinic psychologist Dr. Michael McKee offers suggestions on how people with SAD can also spend more time in the light and getting active, including light therapy.
I have been diagnosed with depression and SAD. The doctor thinks I might have a few symptoms of bipolar(such as very high sex drive, extreme mood swings and the moods change very quickly from happy to extreme anger/rage quickly and violent dreams which I was killing people very close to me). I started taking zoloft 50mg last August and immediately noticed a significant change in my mood. I did some research and thought mabey my mood was so unbeleivably good that mabey the zoloft put me into a mania since that can happen if you take an antidepressant if you may be bipolar. But as soon as we had the time change and now it’s dark around 5:30, I am ready for bed. I can’t seem to get anything accomplished when it’s dark out, I’m tired, feel lazy and very moody again. So mabey I don’t have bipolar, it’s just SAD because I have a major change with the season changing. Do you think mabey light therapy will help me? I just need some opinions here. Does anyone else experience this?Support group?
Dr. Raymond Lam gives a public talk on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and light therapy at a Scientific Conference of the Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms (www.sltbr.org) held on June 28, 2008 in Vancouver, Canada. Second of two parts.
Dr. Raymond Lam gives a public talk on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and light therapy at a Scientific Conference of the Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms (www.sltbr.org) held on June 28, 2008 in Vancouver, Canada. First of two parts.
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