Winter months bring us not only colds and flu but depression as well.
The disorder is evoked by the luck of the sufficient sunlight in this period of the year. This leads to the state when chemicals in hypothalamus get unbalanced. This is not generally a condition you fall ill with just once; every year with the lessening of the amount of light it repeats.
It is not generally considered very serious but in some people it can be a great problem as it interferes with their life and they cannot cope with it on their own without assistance. In the less serious form it still makes a person miserable and uncomfortable; it is called SAD or ‘winter blues’.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is generally characterized by the combination of the following symptoms: general feeling of depression; problems with sleeping (or strictly with getting up) and a tendency to over eating; also nervousness and anxiety that results in bad communication and social interaction, brings unnecessary restraint and tension; low sex drive; mood swings and loss if interest to things in general be it interests, hobbies or just any pastimes. A person feels low, blue and has no desire for anything; not that activities bring any pleasure.
The disorder was explained due to the lack of sunlight, also serotonin, and another theoretical reason is excess of melatonin produced by the pineal gland. The latter produces this hormone in small amounts usually. But in the condition of inadequate sunlight too much of melatonin is released into the blood flow affecting the sleep quality and general condition.
Nevertheless the people suffering from such ‘winter blues’ can be freed from it as there are means and cures. First of all such people should take every opportunity of a sunny day to spend it outdoors being involved in some activity. It has been acknowledged that human mood, level of energy and seasons are somehow connected. There is also a theory that SAD is wrongly considered a disorder as it is just some oddment of hibernation from our ancestors and is only normal and natural. It has been noticed that women are more liable to SAD than men and they suffer much more from it. SAD usually leads to major depressive disorder but in some people (20% if to be precise) it can even trigger bipolar disorder.
Classic seasonal affective disorder can be treated in different ways such as bright light therapy, medication, negative air ionization, let alone cognitive-behavioural therapy and psychotherapeutic techniques.
Here are some of the list of the common medications for depression:
Amitriptyline Budeprion XL Bupropion SR Buspar Effexor XR
Different psychological therapies help to relax and accept the condition and find ways to struggle with it. There exist also a wide range of medications of the same purpose but, of course, their administration should be approved by the doctor.
Here are some of the list of the common medications for depression:
Hydroxyzine Lexapro Mirtazipine Paxil Paxil CR Prozac
What concerns bright light therapy it proved itself quite efficient in the majority of diagnosed cases. The therapy presupposes the treatment with a light-box. Normal light bulbs or the like would not do because they are not even half as powerful as necessary. An intensity of a typical house or office lightning is only 200-500 lux; while Seasonal Affective Disorder can be treated at least with 2500 lux. And it is 100,000 lux for a typical summer day if to take it in comparison.
The therapy with a light-box is recommended on a regular basis in winter and during dull summer days as well. If you suffer from this disorder start practicing the treatment early in autumn or as soon as you feel any discomfort. The therapy presupposes that you sit two to three feet away from a light box for some time; make sure the light does not go directly into your eyes. You can do whatever you want in front of the light, minor household chores, reading, writing, sewing – anything that can keep you in the light for a prolonged period. If you use a light-box regularly you may hope for an improvement after three or four days. Remember that nothing should interfere with the light and do not wear tinted lenses. Light-boxes differ in intensity and some (i.e. with 10,000 lux intensity) can be required only for 30 minutes a day.
Here are some of the list of the common medications for depression:
Trazodone Wellbutrin SR Wellbutrin XL Zoloft
Speaking about the method of negative air ionization it is also considered quite effective. It functions by letting go of charged particles into the air during the time of your sleep and therefore favourably influencing the general being.
Remember that there are ways to get rid of seasonal depression it will just require some effort and desire.
