Seasonal Depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, refers to the time of year during which mood problems generally occur.

Some people notice that they routinely become down or depressed at the same time each year.

The most common time for this to occur is late fall or early winter, though some people experience problems regularly during summer or at other times.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is usually thought to be related to the level of light at different times of year.

The most common type, in which the mood drops in late fall, corresponds to the period of least sunlight.

This problem can be more pronounced the farther north (or, below the equator, south) you live.

Some people in colder or wetter areas report that their mood drops most in late winter. This may be due to being "cooped up" indoors for a long winter ("cabin fever"). This is not typically a serious problem, however, and isn't usually diagnosed as SAD.

SAD is not at present a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Instead, it is identified as a subtype of Major Depressive Disorder (see Major Depression).

In order to be diagnosed with this subtype:

• The person must have had a recurring pattern of depressive episodes at a particular time of year.
• Over the person's lifetime the seasonal episodes have to clearly outnumber the episodes occurring at other times.
• During the two years before being diagnosed the person cannot have had any depressive episodes at other times of year.

What if I don't fit this description exactly?

A person who doesn't fit the strict criteria for SAD might still benefit from treatment strategies intended mainly for people with seasonal problems.

How is Seasonal Affective Disorder treated?

For the most part, SAD is treated like other forms of depression, including medication, lifestyle change, and psychotherapy.

In addition, however, many people with SAD benefit from light therapy, which involves exposure to high levels of bright light for short periods, generally soon after arising in the morning.

Other light-based strategies such as dawn simulators (lights that gradually increase in intensity early in the morning, mimicking sunrise) also show some promise, though there is less research supporting their use.

If, based on this description, you believe that you may have Seasonal Depression, or SAD, tell your physician. Effective treatments are available for this problem.

Note: Information on these pages is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be taken as a substitute for care from a qualified healthcare provider.