1. Winter Sadness
When we lose our long, bright, summer days as the seasons change into fall and winter, many of us feel down and a little less energetic than usual. But, if you have seasonal affective disorder, the shorter, darker days of fall and winter actually make you feel depressed and can have a negative effect on your daily life. Some people may experience the disorder in the spring and summer instead of in the fall and winter.
2. Seasonal Affective Disorder Goes Both Ways
If you suffer from fall and winter seasonal affective disorder, you may feel anxious, depressed, hopeless and lethargic. You may also gain weight, have a hard time concentrating, lose interest in daily activities, withdraw from friends and family and sleep more than usual. The symptoms of spring and summer seasonal affective disorder are a bit different. Instead of feeling depressed, you may feel irritable, anxious and agitated, and you may lose weight and suffer from insomnia. A rare form of the disorder, called reverse seasonal affective disorder, makes people feel extremely hyperactive and manic instead of causing depression.
3. Catch Some Rays
Researchers haven't determined one specific cause of seasonal affective disorder, but rather propose that a combination of factors, such as age, family history and biological makeup may trigger its onset. Some studies show that the darker fall and winter months may affect your circadian rhythm, which is your body's natural clock, possibly causing you to feel depressed. Some researchers also suggest that less sunlight may reduce your levels of serotonin, a chemical in your brain that affects your mood. The reduction in serotonin levels could cause depression.
4. The Doctor's Diagnosis
To determine whether or not you have seasonal affective disorder, your doctor will want to know if you demonstrate symptoms each year during the same season, for at least 2 years in a row. Your doctor also needs to verify that after showing symptoms during the fall and winter months, for example, your depression goes away in the spring and summer. The doctor may also complete a thorough physical and psychological examination to determine any other factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
5. Let the Light Shine In
Luckily, there are effective treatments that can relieve your symptoms and even prevent you from experiencing the negative emotions caused by seasonal affective disorder. In a common treatment called light therapy, you sit close to a light therapy box that gives off bright light. It creates the same effect in your brain as outdoor light and may relieve your depressive symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe an antidepressant, such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil or Effexor to alleviate your symptoms, and you may be advised to see a psychotherapist for counseling sessions as well. In the meantime, soak up as much sunshine as possible by taking walks on sunny days and by opening your windows and brightening up your house.
