Causes Of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Causes Of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a condition that is brought on by lack of adequate sunlight. Individuals who suffer from this condition experience major depressive episodes during the fall and winter months, when the daylight hours are shorter. These acute symptoms abate in during the spring and summer months when the days are longer. Geographical location, age and genetics are all contributory factors to the onset of seasonal affective disorder in an individual.

Symptoms of Season Affective Disorder

Some of the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include memory loss, lack of energy, sleep disturbances, inability to concentrate, change in appetite, body aches and pain, change in weight, low self-esteem, diminishing sex drive, suicidal thoughts and lack of interest in any activity.

How Light Therapy helps

The hormone melatonin, which is produced in the hypothalamus of the brain during the hours of darkness, plays a vital role in SAD. Extra hours of darkness during fall and winter cause the production of excessive amounts of melatonin, leading to the onset of severe depression symptoms. Exposure to a source of bright light, such as that emitted from a light box can help reduce the melatonin production, thus alleviating the severe symptoms.

How the Light Box works

The light box is a specially designed box that provides a precise amount of balanced spectrum light that is of the same intensity and quality as the light an individual would normally receive by spending time outdoors in the sun. This light from the box helps regulate the production of melatonin in the brain and normalizes the internal body clock functions.

How a Light Box is used

The individual is required to sit directly in front of the light box facing the source of light. The eyes have to be kept open as UV rays are known to enter the body through the eyes and not the skin or any other part of the body. However care should be taken to keep the face averted as looking directly into the source of light could cause damage to the eyes.

The recommended distance for each individual is different and depends upon the desired intensity for that particular person. The duration of each individual's session is also different.

Light therapy is most effective if it is done at the same time and for the same duration every day, at least till the symptoms disappear. After that, the doctor could decide to reduce the duration of sessions or sometimes even split the session into two sessions of shorter duration each.

Individuals who suffer from seasonal disruptive disorders should commence their light therapy treatment as soon as the symptoms are obvious and begin to get distressing. Light therapy sessions can be discontinued with the onset of spring, when individuals are likely to receive adequate amount of natural sunlight. Seasonal disruptive disorder symptoms are also aggravated during cloudy and rainy weather and could necessitate the use of light therapy.

Excessive use of light therapy could cause adverse side effects and it should only be resorted to on the advice and recommendation of a qualified doctor.

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Identify Symptoms Of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Identify Symptoms Of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder is not an easy disorder to diagnose because most of the time it passes as light depression. However, if it is left untreated for a long duration, the possibility of its getting worse cannot be overruled. It may start off slow with the person feeling a little low during certain seasons but may grow gradually into a disabling disorder affecting one's normal life to a very large extent. It can throw one's life out of gear.

Generally, those suffering from this disorder feel that what they are feeling is nothing more than helplessness of a temporary kind. Then, gradually it gets serious and the season starts making them increasingly depressed. It is only when the problem becomes unmanageable that the experts are approached.

Many of the studies on the subject have shown that one out of every ten of us has suffered from the disorder in some form though it cannot be considered a disorder because it occurred once in a while. It becomes a disorder only when it starts affecting a person regularly and its impact disrupts one's normal life.

The disorder is indicated by extreme sluggishness. So much so that people tend to sleep for more than 10 hours everyday, and even after that feel tired on getting up. It is true that the disorder can cause depression, but it is equally true that it might also be a contributing factor. Studies have shown that those who are suffering from depression of some kind are more susceptible to the disorder. The studies connect the disorder to lower exposure to the sun because a lack of sun makes the body to produce lesser amount of vitamin D, which can be a cause of the disorder.

The disorder is found to affect people of all ages but is not found in young children and tends to dig its claws on women of above 35.

If there are symptoms indicating Seasonal Affective Disorder, it is advisable that you seek expert assistance immediately because it can sometimes be cured simply by a making a little alteration in one's diet. The treatment for the disorder is relatively easy and quite effective. So, there is no point in continuing to suffer from it.

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Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Millions of people across the world are affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD syndrome) every year. It is best described as a change in mood, behaviour and metabolism of a person in winter. Sufferers have a great dislike of the shorter days and the dark mornings that winter brings and this affects their mood, bringing on a period of depression.

First described by the 6th Century Goth scholar Jordanes when he described the people of Scandinavia, SAD syndrome has been found to affect 20% of the Swedish population, giving wintertime a higher occurrence of depression related sleep loss, anxiety and lethargy. Most cases are mild but some people do require treatment in hospital for their disorder.

The strongest theory put forward as to the causes of SAD syndrome is lack of bright light throughout winter. Bright light has been proven to change the chemistry in the brain even though the exact method used to create this effect is not known At times sufferers may not feel depressed but do feel in a state of lethargy when approaching tasks that require effort.

Another theory into the causes of the disorder is that SAD is directly linked to an imbalance of serotonin in the brain although this particular theory is heavily disputed in the medical profession.

Even though it sounds bleak, sufferers do not need to give up hope on a treatment. There are a broad spectrum of treatments to help even the most severe case of seasonal affective disorder which include medication, light therapy and ionized-air reception. The most common treatment is however, light therapy. This effectively entails either going to sunnier climes or sitting in front of a light box each day. For most people sitting in front of a light box for 15-45mins a day is enough to get rid of their symptoms. The best advice on treatment for SAD syndrome is by talking to your doctor who will be able to discuss your individual needs and treatment.

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Light Therapy- An Effective Remedy For Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad)

Light Therapy- An Effective Remedy For Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad)

Light, like every other thing in this world, is meant for a purpose; not only is it the indirect source of providing essential nutrients to our body but has also been researched to be a major factor affecting our mental well-being. Human moods are said to be very well influenced by the impact of sunlight. The glee on every other person's face on a bright sunny day after prolonged cold days is no surprise. It comes in naturally and has been the subject of study by many medical practitioners since ages.

Light deprivation is usually experienced by people living in areas where the nights are longer and colder than the days. Statistics show that as much as 10% of the population in the north show symptoms of lethargy or lassitude due to the lack of exposure to sunlight. Moreover it has also been found out that women as compared to men are more likely to get affected by almost a 3:1 ratio1. When at a milder stage, light deprivation can be termed as ''Winter Blues''; a condition that results in restrained energy levels, depression and slower reflex actions. Not that the list ends over here, but the incremented cravings for sweet and carbohydrate rich foods makes the patient put on weight, hence adding up to the complexities. A more pronounced form of the just mentioned condition is what we term as Seasonal Affective Disorder aka SAD. With double the level of depression, it is usually accompanied by lack of concentration and even memory loss!

But as the adage goes, ''Necessity is the mother of invention''; there arose the need of producing artificial light, as much effective as the full spectrum sunlight, to serve people being deprived of the natural blessing and useful light boxes came into being! What a light box or more specifically a light therapy box does is that it mimics outdoor sunlight in a way that it contains high output fluorescent bulbs, shielded by a filter that acts as a UV light protector. The light box is then positioned carefully so that it is tilted and placed a little above your eyes, minimizing any unpleasant glare. The patient is then exposed to this artificial light for a time duration that depends on the demand and lifestyle of the affected person. Usually for a beginner, a 15-20 minutes' exposure is said to be enough, however the span may be extended when needed.

Light from a light box when hits the retina in the eye, gives the brain a stimulus to release certain ''active hormones'' that bring about a biochemical change in the body lifting your mood and reducing the symptoms of SAD. Not only does light therapy aid in resolving core SAD issues, it improvises one's wake-sleep cycle as well. This add-on benefit has its' roots lying in the research made by scientists that SAD is related to an imbalance in the body's natural circadian rhythms or the body's inner clock. The latter term is responsible for governing the timing of our sleep. Hence when we repeatedly try to sleep out of sync with our circadian rhythm, depression occurs; a continued condition like this might even lead to SAD. Light therapy, however, alleviates every affected person of such prevailing conditions.

To sum up, Light therapy is a simple, effective and medically recognized way to beat these symptoms and live a normal, healthy life.

Reference

ezinearticles [dot] com/?Blue-Light-Therapy-For-Depression-Patients---How-a-Small-Lamp-Can-Help-You-Beat-the-Winter-Blues&id=2118386

Seasonal Affective Disorder (sad) ? Try Light Therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder (sad) ? Try Light Therapy

Thousands of people every year go into a sort of depression, once fall comes. This is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Thousands more suffer from jet lag which is the curse of modern day travel. These two problems are closely related in that their causes are similar. There is one solution for both problems and that is the use of light therapy.

How can a light therapy lamp help in getting over jet lag or indeed in help a person to overcome SAD? As the days get shorter and shorter as winter approaches, the SAD sufferer will go into a sort of depression because s/he needs light. When there is snow, people tend to suffer less from SAD as there is so much more light.

The precise cause of seasonal affective disorder isn't known, but genetics and your age may be factors. In fact most sufferers are women around the age of thirty but it can strike anybody in the age range 15 -55.The general recommendation for most people with seasonal affective disorder is to begin treatment with light therapy in the early fall, as soon as the earliest symptoms start. Light therapy in seasonal affective disorder is independent of time of day or circadian phase.

Sunlight and natural light are essential to our natural biological rhythms. Once there is a change in these rhythms, then our bodies have difficulty in adjusting. Shorter days and long haul flights upset our natural clocks. Table-lamps are ideal at twilight when the light begins to fade.

If your doctor suggests you try light therapy, you may use a specially made light box, or a light visor that you wear on your head like a cap. Generally, light therapy takes about 30 minutes each day throughout the fall and winter, when you're most likely to be depressed. If light therapy helps you, you'll continue using it until enough sunlight is available, typically in the springtime.

How many times has a holiday or a business appointment been ruined by jet lag ? It can last for days after arrival. Every time we cross a few time zones quickly, then we are likely to suffer from this condition. It can have negative effects on your judgement in a business deal and can also make you feel even more depressed when you are trying to get used to your normal routine, once back at home.

Your body clock will not be able to keep with the plane as it crosses several time zones very quickly so it will end up out of sync with the destination time. In addition changes to night and daytime come very quickly and the rhythms which normally decide our eating and sleeping routine are all out of gear. In addition, the rhythm of our body temperature will be skewed as well.

The best way to recover from jet lag and a SAD, is to invest in a sad light box or table lamp. No faddy anti-jet lag diets which you have to start way before the journey and continue afterwards. Some people take sleeping pills which can lead to fatal blood clots. Melatonin has been known to be effective. But the best, most natural way is the sad table lamp.

CBT works well for seasonal affective disorder. (Comparable to Light Therapy).(cognitive-behavioral therapy): An article from: Clinical Psychiatry News

CBT works well for seasonal affective disorder. (Comparable to Light Therapy).(cognitive-behavioral therapy): An article from: Clinical Psychiatry News

This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on February 1, 2002. The length of the article is 521 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: CBT works well for seasonal affective disorder. (Comparable to Light Therapy).(cognitive-behavioral therapy)
Author: Carl Sherman
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2002
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Page: 40(1)

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Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD affects many people every year. This type of depression is often found among those who go through bouts of depression that seem to occur in a pattern related to the seasons and time of year, hence the name seasonal affective disorder. Winter appears to be the season to bring on seasonal affective disorder as a result of the lack of sun and the cold, dreary whether. For this reason it is found to affect people more in the northern climates where there are longer periods of dark, cold and long winters.

How does a person determine if they are suffering from seasonal affective disorder? Well, there is always the option of searching the internet for some information about SAD to get a better understanding about it and its symptoms. A person can always contact an online therapist, or consult a counselor by phone to find out more about it. Some of the symptoms a person with this type of depression include a change in a person’s eating habits, a change in a person’s sleeping patterns, loss interest in activities they would normally want to be involved in, and even fatigue that no amount of sleep seems to help. December is the month when one or more of these symptoms may start to appear and then, for many, it can get worse in January. In the case with anyone suffering this type of depression, their symptoms will disappear as the days grow warmer and longer.

Is there a treatment for seasonal affective disorder? There is. Anyone who believes they might be suffering from this depression because they seem to be suffering one or more of the symptoms mentioned above should consult their counselor or a therapist. A self-diagnosis is never one that should be seen as a 100 percent accurate. Going to a professional counselor for help is probably the best thing to do as they are knowledgeable about this and can determine if it is SAD a person is suffering from or some other type of depression. Many different types of depressions can often share similar symptoms. Online therapy or phone consultation are available if going to see a counselor in person is not possible, or easy for the individual to do so that people can get the help they need. SAD affects many people every year and can often be helped by light therapies and/or medicinal therapies that a therapist might suggest after they have confirmed that it is, in fact, seasonal affective disorder the patient is suffering from.

What is light therapy? Light therapy is a relatively new therapy used for patients who have seasonal affective disorder. It has been tested in comparison with some of the medicinal treatments available and it has been found that about half of the patients responded better to the light therapy than they did to the medicinal therapy. The pluses of the light therapy are obvious with the benefit of not having to worry about the side effects of medication. In light therapy, a person sets up a panel with fluorescent lights in a room where they can read, write or watch television while they go through the treatment. The length of the session depends on the patient and how affected they are by the depression. It can be as short as fifteen minutes once or twice a day, to about three hours once or twice a day.

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