Items Tagged With seasonal affective disorder

This winter could see an epidemic in cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), following the abysmal summer that was the wettest since records began. The summer is traditionally a time of respite for those susceptible to SAD, but mental health experts have warned that with sufferers reporting winter symptoms throughout the season, the effect of the prolonged bad weather will make the winter months even more of a struggle than usual.

At least one in 20 people suffers from SAD-related bouts of depression, with a further one in eight affected by the more nebulous winter blues. Bright light, ideally sunlight, is the best treatment for those who suffer from this debilitating mental health condition. But when summer does not provide this, the cumulative lack of good quality sunlight could have a devastating effect.

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"SAD is thought to be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain brought on by lack of light due to winter's shorter days and typically overcast skies," says Dr. Angelos Halaris, chief of the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Loyola University Health System.

As many as 10 percent to 20 percent of Americans may experience a mild form of SAD, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Certain people may have a genetic vulnerability to developing the condition, which affects more women than men and tends to start appearing in the teen years.

"This condition, characterized by depression, exhaustion and lack of interest in people and regular activities, interferes with a person's outlook on life and ability to function properly," Halaris said.

You can take steps to reduce the risk of developing SAD.

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Bupropion (Wellbutrin XL) is the first drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of seasonal affective disorder, or winter depression. About 5 percent of Americans, three-quarters of them women, experience SAD each year. But do you need medication to prevent or treat it? Here are answers to five questions about this type of depression.

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