How to Get Rid of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the winter blues, the winter blahs, cabin fever, whatever you choose to call it, is a form of depression. Many sufferers show symptoms that include an inability to sleep, sadness, increased anxiety, a lack of sexual desire, cravings for sweets, and extreme fatigue-all of which seem to disappear during the spring and summer months. I suffer from S.A.D. as well, and below are some things I've learned about this mood disorder.

Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder

A hormone called Melatonin has been blamed by scientists for many years as the most plausible agent of seasonal affective disorder. In an effort to keep Melatonin levels normal during the darker months, a number of treatments have been suggested:

Light therapy will alleviate seasonal affective disorder.

Getting a sunlamp and exposing yourself to its light on a regular basis helps to inhibit the generation of Melatonin.

Winter activities will cure the winter blues.

Research has shown that getting regular doses of winter sunlight is almost twice as effective as a sunlamp.

Antidepressants can fight the cabin fever.

Either medical or herbal antidepressants are suggested if light therapy and outdoor exercise are not effective.

A healthy diet helps control the winter blahs.

Monitor your intake of sugars and starches; these are the two types of food that sufferers crave, causing an unusual amount of weight gain in the winter months.

A regimented sleep schedule will improve your mood.

Try to sleep only during times when there is no sunlight, waking up earlier to make sure you get as much sunlight as possible during the day.

Counseling and Antidepressants

It is recommended that if the sun lamps (light therapy), exercise, and consistent sleep schedule aren't improving your condition, then it might be time to see a doctor. Note that there is no test for seasonal affective disorder, so when you see your doctor you're going to need a detailed list of your symptoms, including dates that point to when the symptoms began, and any other information you think might be useful to your physician; it's more than likely that your doctor will put you on an antidepressant. Ask your doctor for the least mentally intrusive antidepressant available, or the one with the fewest side effects.

If light therapy, diet, and antidepressants don't work, it might be helpful to see a counselor who will provide you with ways to cope with seasonal affective disorder and manage your life more effectively during those months when you suffer most.