Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition that affects many adults, often during the winter. SAD is characterized by a seasonal pattern of depression, mania, or hypomania that is typically not as severe as treatment resistant depression. For many people, the lack of natural light in the winter triggers the onset of SAD. SAD is classified as a clinical type of depression and is considered a subset of major depressive disorder (MDD).
SAD is categorized as either fall/winter onset or spring/summer onset. Most people who experience SAD have depression symptoms in the winter that generally lift in the spring or summer. But there is also a spring/summer variant that is sometimes referred to as “summer depression”.
People who suffer from SAD can experience symptoms that are typical for many forms of depression, including increased appetite, reduced energy, weight gain, increased sleep, and carbohydrate cravings. The symptoms mirror those for people suffering from major depressive disorder.
SAD Therapy Lamps Can be effective for Seasonal Depression
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition that affects many adults, often during the winter. SAD is characterized by a seasonal pattern of depression, mania, or hypomania that is typically not as severe as treatment resistant depression. For many people, the lack of natural light in the winter triggers the onset of SAD. SAD is classified as a clinical type of depression and is considered a subset of major depressive disorder (MDD).
SAD is categorized as either fall/winter onset or spring/summer onset. Most people who experience SAD have depression symptoms in the winter that generally lift in the spring or summer. But there is also a spring/summer variant that is sometimes referred to as “summer depression”.
People who suffer from SAD can experience symptoms that are typical for many forms of depression, including increased appetite, reduced energy, weight gain, increased sleep, and carbohydrate cravings. The symptoms mirror those for people suffering from major depressive disorder.
SAD Therapy Lamps Can be effective for Seasonal Depression
Fortunately, SAD often responds favorably to using light boxes combined with other forms of therapy.
Medical practitioners have developed a roster of modalities that help alleviate SAD symptoms, including:
Light therapy
Good sleep hygiene
Daily outdoor walks
Aerobic exercise
Enhanced indoor lighting
For patients with less severe cases of SAD, light therapy alone is considered to be a reasonable first line treatment alternative.
More Severe Depression is Known as Treatment-Resistant-Depression (TRD)
If light boxes combined with other forms of treatment such as talk therapy and antidepressants do not help alleviate winter onset SAD by springtime, than it may be the case that a patient has more severe treatment resistant depression (TRD).
If you suspect TRD may be present, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has proven to help many people overcome their depression. Neuro Health Maine is proud to offer TMS and telehealth psychiatric services. Please contact us to find out more about TMS and your particular situation.
Fortunately, SAD often responds favorably to using light boxes combined with other forms of therapy.
Medical practitioners have developed a roster of modalities that help alleviate SAD symptoms, including:
Light therapy
Good sleep hygiene
Daily outdoor walks
Aerobic exercise
Enhanced indoor lighting
For patients with less severe cases of SAD, light therapy alone is considered to be a reasonable first line treatment alternative.
More Severe Depression is Known as Treatment-Resistant-Depression (TRD)
If light boxes combined with other forms of treatment such as talk therapy and antidepressants do not help alleviate winter onset SAD by springtime, than it may be the case that a patient has more severe treatment resistant depression (TRD).
If you suspect TRD may be present, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has proven to help many people overcome their depression. Neuro Health Maine is proud to offer TMS and telehealth psychiatric services. Please contact us to find out more about TMS and your particular situation.