Seasonal Affective Disorder

#4
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is also known as 'Winter Depression' or 'Winter Blues'. This mood disorder occurs when people who have regular or normal mental health during the majority of the year experience depressive symptoms and negative feelings during the winter months.
The mild form of SAD, known as the 'winter blues,' causes discomfort and irritability to and individual, but does not take over there life. The term 'winter blues' can sometimes be misunderstood; some people have less common form of SAD which is summer onset depression. This condition usually begins in late spring or early summer and is gone by winter.
SAD can be a life restricting condition, preventing individuals from coping normally with their daily activities. It may affect their personal, social and professional lives, and severely contradict their original potential.
There is no confirmed cause, but the research is ongoing. SAD has been around for 150 years, but it was just recognized as a disorder in the early 1980's. This disorder is thought to be related to seasonal changes of light. Some researchers say that a “biological internal clock” in the brain regulates our daily activities. This biological clock responds to changes in season, partly because of the changes in light and length of days. Some researchers believe that one may have SAD because of the change in our lifestyles. People used to abide by the sun and moon; be awake and work while the sun is up, sleep while the world is dark. Now that there is technology there is less of the original routines and people don't rest when their bodies tell them to. Other researchers believe that 'neurotransmitters' in the brain that regulate sleep, mood, and appetite are off in individuals with SAD
SAD is a difficult disorder to diagnose. It is often confused with other depressive disorders such as Bipolar disorder. Some symptoms are change in appetite; craving for sweet or starchy foods, weight gain, fatigue, and tendency to oversleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, avoidance of social situations, feelings of anxiety and despair, and in very severe cases thoughts of suicide. Some people with SAD find that vacationing in southern countries give them relief of their depressive symptoms, this is only temporary though.
Researchers in Ontario believe that only 2% or 3% of people in Ontario have SAD, but 15% have the milder version called 'Winter Blues'. SAD occurs in some children and teens, but mostly in people over the age of 20. The risk of getting SAD decreases with age. SAD is known to be more common in women than in men. Recent studies show that SAD is more common in northern countries where the winter days are shorter because of the restriction of sunlight. Also people at risk for getting SAD are shift workers and urban dwellers who are deprived of natural sunlight in their work environment
If you feel depressed for a long time, if your sleep patterns and appetite change dramatically, and you think suicidal thoughts often, there are many treatments that can be done. Even people with very severe symptoms can find relief after beginning treatment.
People with mild symptoms can be relieved by spending more time outdoors in the sun light, and rearrange their environment to gain maximum sun exposer; trim trees that block sun, and keep curtains and blinds open during the hours of sunlight. You can move your furniture near windows so you sit in the sunlight, adding skylights and having more lamps works as well.
Exercising can help relieve one of stress, it gives you more energy, and helps increase your mental and physical well-being. Many people find that 'Light Therapy' is very affective. This means sitting next to a large artificial light for several minutes everyday. If you are going to begin light therapy you should contact your doctor or a health care professional. Although some people might, it is a very bad idea to try and use tanning bed for light treatments.
Antidepressant medication prescribed for individuals with SAD. They can be very effective and are also a safe way of going about reducing your symptoms. Counseling and therapy are very effective in reducing the symptoms as well. Increasing your daily exposer to light, monitoring what you eat, how you are sleeping, and your exercise levels are the first steps to treating SAD. It is important to learn about the symptoms, even if you don't have SAD, and to know that there is treatment to help people with it so they can live a productive life year-round.

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder
http://www.cmha.ca/BINS/content_page.asp?cid=3-86-93
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/depression/267.html