A form of depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects people during the winter months and eases off during the spring and summer. Individuals with SAD feel down and have little energy during the months with little sunlight. SAD is treated through a combination of light treatment, mediation and psychotherapy.
Mood Evaluation
In order to diagnose SAD, your therapist or physician asks a series of detailed questions about your daily life and moods including eating and sleeping patterns, social interactions, work situation and general behaviors. These questions are framed to determine if there are seasonal differences in your thoughts, attitude and moods. Questions may be asked verbally or may include a written questionnaire.
Medical Tests
There are no medical tests to determine if someone has seasonal affective disorder. However, your mental health provider or doctor may advise medical tests such as blood work to rule out other disorders that may be causing your depression.
Physical Exam
In order to rule out physical conditions that may be causing or exacerbating your depression, your doctor may conduct a physical exam. This exam will be used to uncover any undiagnosed issues related to your depression.
DSM Criteria
Your doctor will evaluate your condition according to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), a manual used to diagnose mental health issues. Published by the American Psychiatric Association, this manual lists specific criteria for SAD, along with all other mental health diagnoses. The criteria for seasonal affective disorder includes two consecutive years of depression during the same season, times of depression followed by nondepressed times and no other physical or medical reasons for your depression.
