Definition:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression people experience at certain seasons. The depression usually begins in autumn and winter, and lift during springtime.
Diagnosis:
SAD is diagnosed during counseling and observation of one's behavior during season changes.
Treatment:
Patients with SAD are often recommended to seek light therapy. Bright lights greatly affect moods and behaviors thus lifting one's down feelings. They are also advised to change their biological clocks and resort to more exercise. Antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft are also given to reduce depression.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms vary among people with SAD. For those who get depressed during the cold months, they tend to experience a hype of sad emotions and seek comfort in eating foods such as chocolate, oversleeping and weight gain. Meanwhile during the summer season they experience the opposite: loss of appetite high energy levels and weight loss.
Causes:
SAD is caused due to the lack of sufficient amounts of outdoor light. Genetic factors also play a big role in explaining the onset of the depression.
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