Seasonal affective disorder

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer,^[1] spring or autumn, repeatedly, year after year. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), SAD is not a unique mood disorder, but is "a specifier of major depression".^[2]

The US National Library of Medicine notes that "some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up."^[3] The condition in the summer is often incorrectly referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, and can also include heightened anxiety.^[4] It has been estimated that 1.5-9% of adults in the US experience SAD.^[5]

There are many different treatments for classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder, including light therapy with sunlight or bright lights, antidepressant medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy, ionized-air administration,^[6] and carefully timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin.^[7]

Symptoms

Symptoms of SAD may consist of: difficulty waking up in the morning, morning sickness, tendency to oversleep as well as to overeat, and especially a craving for carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain. Other symptoms include a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating on completing tasks, and withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities. All of this leads to the depression, pessimism, and lack of pleasure which characterize a person suffering from this disorder.

People that experience summer SAD (spring and summer depression) show symptoms of classic depression including insomnia, anxiety, irritability, decreased appetite, weight loss, social withdrawal, and an decreased sex drive.^[4] Additionally, many patients are unable to cope with the increased temperatures during spring and summer.

Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder


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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression in which depressive episodes come on in the autumn or winter, and resolve in spring. The diagnosis is made if at least two episodes have occurred in colder months with none at other times, over a two-year period or longer.




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According to Kenny Lim: SED is due to the reduced level of Serotonin in our body...which contributes primarily to the mood swing, especially in the winter...