Over the course of the last few weeks, have you begun to suffer from the following symptoms:
depression;If so--according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic and the American Psychiatric Association (APA)--you could be suffering from a type of depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.
anxiety;
loss of energy;
social withdrawal;
increased sleep and sleepiness;
loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed (including sex);
overeating (especially foods high in carbohydrates);
weight gain; and/or
difficulty concentrating and processing information?
While the precise cause of the disorder is unknown, some medical experts attribute SAD to light deprivation--which disrupts body clocks, sleeping and eating patterns, and an array of other activities. (Other factors like an individual's age, sex, genetics and geographic location may also a part.)
Dr. Douglas Jacobs, an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, estimates that up to 20% of Americans suffer from symptoms associated with this disorder. That's about one out of every five people, with about 80% of those impacted being women.
In an "expert opinion" published on the APA's website, Dr. Jacobs outlines the following treatment options:
If your symptoms are mild, increased exposure to sunlight can improve symptoms of SAD. This can include a long walk outside or arranging your home or office so that you are exposed to a window during the day. Exercise and stress management can also help.And after all these years, I thought the symptoms were a byproduct of practicing law!
If your depressive symptoms are severe enough to significantly affect your daily living, light therapy (phototherapy) has proven an effective treatment option. This form of therapy involves exposure to very bright light (usually from a special fluorescent lamp) between 30 and 90 minutes per day during the winter months. These light therapy sessions are best used during the morning hours. Additional relief has been found with psychotherapy sessions, and in some cases, prescription of antidepressants.
All joking aside, none of these symptoms should be taken lightly. When in doubt, consult with your doctor or mental health professional to secure a formal diagnosis and, when warranted, appropriate treatment.
To read Dr. Jacobs's analysis of the disorder, please click on the following link:
http://healthyminds.org/expertopinion7.cfm
To access the Mayo Foundation's website, please click on the following link:
http://mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195
For a copy of the APA's press release on SAD, please click on the following link:
http://www.psych.org/news_room/press_releases/sadtipsheet11302005.pdf
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The Mayo Clinic is reportedly "the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world," with over "2,500 physicians and scientists and 42,000 allied health staff" employed at sites in Rochester, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Florida, and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Arizona.