Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to decreased exposure to daylight.
SAD can occur in the summer but typically happens in late autumn and winter because of the reduced amount of sunlight. Winter depression may affect 4 percent to 6 percent of Americans, and another 10 percent to 20 percent may have mild symptoms of SAD, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
"It is certainly under diagnosed," Graff says. "People should get help. It's quite treatable."
Causes and risk factors
Your heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, hormones, enzymes and other bodily functions rise and fall in a 24-hour pattern called your circadian rhythm. For some people, decreased exposure to sunlight throws off their circadian rhythm and can lead to symptoms associated with SAD.
It's unclear why some people are susceptible to seasonal depression, says Graff, though genetic researchers have identified two of the genes that are believed to control the body's biological clock. Researchers also believe that reduced daylight may boost the production of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone released by the pineal gland in the brain that may cause symptoms of depression.
Many people report feeling sluggish during dark days of winter. So how do you know if you have SAD? The difference is, people suffering from SAD usually feel they are unable to function normally. Some symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability and a general loss of interest or motivation, are common in SAD and many types of depression. If you suspect you have SAD, health experts say you should watch for one or more of these unique symptoms:
* Mood changes during late autumn and winter for at least two consecutive years, followed by the absence of symptoms during the spring and summer.
* Weight gain and cravings for carbohydrates, particularly sweets and starchy foods.
* Oversleeping or difficulty awakening in the morning.
SAD is more frequently diagnosed in northern states and countries; it affects seven times more people in Washington state than Florida, the AAFP says. Sixty percent to 90 percent of the people treated for SAD are women, Graff says. The average age for a person diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder is 23, and the chance of developing SAD decreases with age.
One of the biggest problems with SAD and other types of depression is that people do not recognize it as an illness. About 19 million Americans suffer from major depression each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Yet research indicates that one-third of people suffering from a major depressive episode do not seek treatment.
"People don't appreciate at times that they may really have a condition. Sometimes, relatively minor changes can make a big difference in their life,'' says Michael Blumenfield, M.D., professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College and chairman of Joint Commission on Public Affairs for the American Psychiatric Association.
Light treatment
If you're diagnosed with SAD, your health care provider will likely recommend using a special device called a light box that emits "full spectrum" light - the form of light that most closely resembles sunlight, Graff says. "Regular lights are not bright enough," he says.
Light boxes cost about $200 to $300. You'll need a 30-minute session every morning to ease your symptoms, Graff says.
"Light therapy alone will probably do it for most people,'' Graff says. If not, your doctor will likely prescribe antidepressants.
If you believe you're prone to seasonal depression, Blumenfield says there are other things you can do to take advantage of winter sunlight:
* Spend more time outdoors during the day.
* Put your desk next to a window at home.
* Take advantage of the window in your office (if you have one).
* Buy a light box, and use it while doing a routine activity, such as reading. "You don't want to stare at the light because you can get a headache and eye strain,'' Blumenfield says.
Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:57 am
madthumbs
Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 8249 Location: Fingerlakes - NY usa
Yes, you may start to describe yourself as unpleasant to be around when following a low carbohydrate diet! Many who are testing low-carbohydrate approaches like Atkins and the South Beach Diet are reporting unusually elevated feelings of anger, tension and depression, enough so that a new term ‘Atkins attitude,’ has been adopted to describe it. Judith Wurtman, director of the Women’s Health Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Adara Weight Loss Center, has conducted studies on rats showing a connection between low carbohydrate intake and low levels of serotonin – a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of happiness and satisfaction. In her research, rats placed on a ketotic, or low-carbohydrate diet for three weeks were found to have lower levels of serotonin in their brains. Wurtman believes that same effect occurs in humans on low-carb diets, leading to pronounced feelings of depression and sadness, even rage.
Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:03 am
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madthumbs
Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 8249 Location: Fingerlakes - NY usa
Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 40 Location: upstate NY
I just wanted to say that another reason for, negative thinking and a very depressed out look on life could be an issue with candida Yeast. People who crave sugary foods, even people who have thougts of suicide, it can actually be linked to Yeast overgrowth.
Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:21 am
crystalja'
Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 40 Location: upstate NY
[quote="crystalja'"]I just wanted to say that another reason for, negative thinking and a very depressed out look on life could be an issue with candida Yeast. People who have had thought or boughts with suicide actually have a yeast over growth...Not to be confused with nutritional yeast or brewers yeast. Candida yeast can be a very seriious problem. And I 100% agree with the steps above. I have personal use a light box from Northern light in Alaska This is becouse I was inside all day and when I got home it was dark... I had my doc. right me a script for it. SHe said she thought it would help with the winter blues. Insurance did not pay for it, but hey, it was worth a shot.:]
6 years ago, I was diagnosed with an non-specific depressive illness. Chemical imbalance was a possible culprit. Diagnosis bullshit! I took their pills to balance my chemicals, all their pills did was cause mood instability, fatigue, unquenchable thirst and insatiable hunger. If I had stayed on the meds (I quit taking that crap 4 years ago), I'd be too plump for my own good. I would have to take up stealing food and I'd be crazier than I was to begin with. You know why I think we "depressive" types are so sad? I think it's because We think too much. Thinking makes us stop smiling, so they think giving us pills that make us stop thinking will make us start smiling. The pills do indeed make us stop thinking. I'm not smiling about that! Because of their damned pills, I'm a lot dumber than I used to be. Let me correct myself, Now I'm a complete moron! I used to speak english properly, with perfect grammar and diction. I'm glad my reading and writing skills are still pretty sharp. The meds have made me "jumpy" I'm a tangential pain in the arse. I'm always jumping from subject to subject. Because I lose track of what was being said. Sorry about that. I wonder if those effects are permanent. Next time the cops put me in the "behavioral health facility" I'm going to tell the doc where to put that perscription.
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Last edited by Dirt Poor on Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:38 am; edited 1 time in total
Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:58 pm
alexclaton VIP
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 688 Location: Hell on earth
its my understanding that depression starts up when things arent goin ur way or when ur in a place u dont want to be... a change of surroundings usually helps... also perhaps doin something different would also help....
as for meds.... i wouldnt takem... and DP is an example of why... fvckin doctors prefer to make ppl sick then actually help =\
Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:28 am
crystalja'
Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 40 Location: upstate NY
deppression is a tough load to carry. I have done the counsling thing a bit since I was 12, on and off. Now that i'm 28 I have found when I'm between a rock and a hard place......it does help. that with a dose of socializing. For everyone , theres somthing different that makes us hapy, or at least smile. As long as it dosent involve some sick demented twisted illegal unforgivable crime, if it makes you happy, do it! I aslo found that self help books are helpful. It takes you away while your reading it, and the best part is, you pick out the book, and it's help with out having to seek it elswhere.
its my understanding that depression starts up when things arent goin ur way or when ur in a place u dont want to be... a change of surroundings usually helps... also perhaps doin something different would also help....=\
That's why I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm going someplace where it snows. I miss the winter so much. My best childhood memory was of my sled. It never snows here and the summer reminds me of hell. A change of scenery would probably do some good.
I just wanted to say that another reason for, negative thinking and a very depressed out look on life could be an issue with candida Yeast. People who crave sugary foods, even people who have thougts of suicide, it can actually be linked to Yeast overgrowth.
Candida yeast growth can be subdued by eating yougurt. The enzymes and probacteria balance your ph level and keep yeast growth under control.
Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:45 pm
madthumbs
Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 8249 Location: Fingerlakes - NY usa
Yogurt is concentrated dairy. I've read that it can lead to acidity and should be avoided like all commercial dairy.
If you're needing more pro-biotics; stop microwaving food, eating radiated food (I think meats sold in shrink packaging are radiated) and get plenty of fruits and vegetables. Candida tends to be a problem for vegans also, so meat consumption may have an effect.
Have a colonic done. Not only does it clear your colon of rotten feces built up over a lifetime(10lbs of it). It will help clear mood altering toxins and candida yeast. An experienced hydrotherapist will be able to detect how bad your candida albicons is. Consuming starches and sugars only feeds the yeast and a bad overgrowth will cause you to crave them excessivley. The only way I personally got my yeast under control was a 30 day vegan diet eating 0 starches and sugars while on probiotics. This includes no fruits like bananas due to their starch content or potatos. The supplement Fungal Defense by Garden of Life also helped substantially. Was an interesting 30 days but I felt-feel incredible and I lost over 1lb a day during the cleanse.
Aren't women more exposed to YIs. Does that mean women are more depressed than men?
men can transmit YI's and are probably more exposed to it because they go around sticking their dirty cocks in multiple female partners and don't bother washing. They usually don't know they have it. Candida yeast grows more rapidly in female genitalia. It prefers darkness and moisture, plus a woman's chemistry is more suitable for harboring it. Aside from that being linked to depression,
Many other things cause depression in both sexes. In some cases, weather and climate changes can affect a person's mood. Living amongst dominant control freaks I think is the cause of my depression, though it can be argued that I have a chemical imbalance and don't take meds because they make me sick. I'm nagged at if I breathe wrong. I can't do anything. I hate myself and want to die!
