A mental health professional can diagnose the condition and discuss therapy options. With the right treatment, SAD can be a manageable condition. If you feel your depression is severe or if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, consult a doctor immediately or seek help at the closest emergency room.
Depression major depressive disorder is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Learn More. View More. I agree. Symptoms and Diagnosis Common symptoms of SAD include fatigue, even with too much sleep, and weight gain associated with overeating and carbohydrate cravings. SAD symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include many symptoms similar to major depression, such as: Feeling sad or having a depressed mood Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed Changes in appetite; usually eating more, craving carbohydrates Change in sleep; usually sleeping too much Loss of energy or increased fatigue despite increased sleep hours Increase in purposeless physical activity e.
Specifiers for depressive disorders: With seasonal pattern. Arlington, Va. American Psychological Association. Seasonal affective disorder SAD.
American Psychiatric Association. Melrose S. Seasonal affective disorder: An overview of assessment and treatment approaches. Depression Research and Treatment. Magovern M, et al. Extended-release bupropion for preventing seasonal affective disorder in adults. American Family Physician.
Meesters Y, et al. Seasonal affective disorder, winter type: Current insights and treatment options. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. Natural medicines in the clinical management of depression. Natural Medicines.
Depression and complementary health approaches: What the science says. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. You talk to a trained counsellor about your worries and problems. You will discuss how you feel about yourself and others and talk about experiences in your past.
The aim is to find out whether anything in your past is affecting how you feel today. Antidepressants are often prescribed to treat depression. They are sometimes used to treat severe cases of SAD. But evidence that they're effective in treating SAD is limited. Light therapy can help improve your mood. This involves sitting by a special lamp called a light box. Usually for around 30 minutes to an hour each morning.
They come in a variety of designs, including desk lamps and wall-mounted fixtures. They produce a very bright light. You may find a dawn-stimulating alarm clock useful. It will gradually light up your bedroom as you wake up. Most people can use light therapy safely. Because many people with SAD often have vitamin D deficiency, nutritional supplements of vitamin D may help improve their symptoms.
However, studies testing whether vitamin D is effective in SAD treatment have produced mixed findings, with some results indicating that it is as effective as light therapy but others detecting no effect. Because the timing of the onset of winter pattern-SAD is so predictable, people with a history of SAD might benefit from starting the treatments mentioned above before the fall to help prevent or reduce the depression. To date, very few studies have investigated this question, and existing studies have found no convincing evidence that starting light therapy or psychotherapy ahead of time could prevent the onset of depression.
Only preventive treatment with the antidepressant bupropion prevented SAD in study participants, but it also had a higher risk of side effects. Therefore, people with SAD should discuss with their health care providers if they want to initiate treatment early to prevent depressive episodes. NIMH supports a wide range of research, including clinical trials that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions—including SAD.
Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future. Researchers at NIMH and around the country conduct clinical trials with patients and healthy volunteers. Talk to your health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you.
For more information about clinical research and how to find clinical trials being conducted around the country, visit the NIMH Clinical Trials page. This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from NIMH. Citation of NIMH as a source is appreciated.
To learn more about using NIMH publications, refer to our reprint guidelines. Statistics NIMH statistics pages include statistics on the prevalence, treatment, and costs of mental illness for the population of the United States.
Help for Mental Illnesses If you or someone you know has a mental illness, there are ways to get help. Clinical Trials If you or a friend or family member are thinking about taking part in clinical research, this page contains basic information about clinical trials.
Stakeholder Engagement Find out how NIMH engages a range of stakeholder organizations as part of its efforts to ensure the greatest public health impact of the research we support. Education and Awareness Use these free mental health education and outreach materials in your community and on social media to spread the word about topics like eating disorders, autism awareness, and suicide prevention.
Application Process Explore the NIMH grant application process, including how to write your grant, how to submit your grant, and how the review process works. Small Business Research Learn about funding opportunities for small businesses. Meetings and Events Details about upcoming events — including meetings, conferences, workshops, lectures, webinars, and chats — sponsored by the NIMH.
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