Getting Help for Seasonal Affective Disorder

The days are shorter. You wake up: it's dark and before you get out of work to head home the sun has gone to bed. You find yourself dragging around, feel "in a funk." In fact, you feel down right depressed. You have vague memories of feeling this way last year at this time, and the year before. You, like many others during the long winter months may be suffering from

Seasonal Affective Disorder is pretty much what the name implies. Also known as "winter depression" this disorder rears its ugly head soon after

Anyone can get Seasonal Affective Disorder, however it tends to be more common with people who live in areas where winter days are very short and there are significant changes in the amount of daylight in different

The affected individual tends to feel down or sad and moody. There is a loss of interest in usual activities and a tendency to isolate and want to sleep more. Significant changes in eating patterns can also occur with a tendency to crave breads, pastas and other carbohydrates.

Because Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression it can be hard for professionals to tell the difference between major depression and SAD. The symptoms for the most part are the same. The big difference is the recurrence of those symptoms only during certain times of the year vs. ongoing symptoms for more than two years. SAD can, however, severely disrupt one's life. A very small percentage of those who are affected by seasonal depression are at risk for suicide and may require a brief hospital stay.

If your think you may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, it is important to know there are treatments available to you. Light therapy is on of the choices available for people with SAD and in many case works very well. Bright Light treatment involves sitting in front of a "light box". It is best to do this in the morning for about a half an hour. Dawn Simulation is another form of light therapy that has proven to work nicely. This treatment actually begins while you sleep! A dim light goes on in the morning prior to rising and becomes brighter and brighter, simulating sunrise.

Light therapy is not the only treatment available to folks struggling with

Another extremely helpful resource is finding a trusted counselor who is well versed in cognitive- behavioral therapy. This specific type of therapy is meant to target certain responses and reactions to situations, such as depression, and to teach behavior techniques that the client can use when experiencing these feelings. The therapist will first help you become aware of the triggers and your responses, then together you can come up with specific things to do when these triggers and feelings arise. For instance, when feel particularly low and desiring only to crawl under the covers you encourage yourself through self talk to get dressed and perhaps go for a brisk walk. Searching for the right counselor for you is as simple as a click of the mouse. It is important to make certain you search for clinicians who are well versed in

Seasonal Affective Disorder does not have to paralyze you through the "darker days."Seasonal Affective Disorder.summer fades into fall and fall into winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or also called by its appropriate acronym SAD is a form of depression.seasons. Women also tend to be more affected by these changes than men or individuals who have a family member who has had or is having a challenge with SAD. The symptoms are much like that of depression.Seasonal depression. You might consult your doctor for antidepressants. These medications, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI's target chemicals in the brain providing a balance again and thereby shifting mood.Seasonal Affective Disorder, the treatments available to you and cognitive-behavioral techniques.