Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

"Seasonal Affective Disorder is a condition which affects between four to six percent of the population; the highest percentage is found in the North, and women are more likely than men to have this condition."

Now that we have the statistics covered, a plain explanation of this condition may lead to a better understanding of both the condition itself and those who are afflicted with it.

S.A.D. occurs when a person's entire physiological system is negatively affected by the lack of natural sunlight. Commonly referred to as "seasonal depression" or "winter blues," these terms take the focus off such factors as the cause and its manifestations, and lead non-sufferers to conclude that it is "all in their heads."

Although depression-- often to an extreme degree-- is the primary symptom, there are others, equally important, which cannot be discounted. In S.A.D., the senses are generally in a state of diminished capacity-- some combination, or all, of sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch, range below their normal state. Lethargy or exaustion in the body is another common symptom.

At present, none of the trends in treatment for S.A.D. are sufficient-- prescribed anti-depressants, treatment with light, even mega-doses of Vitamin D, are little more than experimental and rarely as much help as they're thought to be.

Lesser known is a potential long-term effect of S.A.D.-- only those who have studied this condition extensively, or been personally affected by it, realize that one repercussion of this condition is that when a sufferer "muddles through" a number of months out of each year below his or her normal functioning level, it's as if chunks of Time have been stolen or wasted without actually living it. Consider the implications of dulled senses and emotions, lack of energy and focus, and being below par for four or five months out of every year.

Worse than coping with S.A.D. itself is the possibility of misdiagnosis; and as most geographical locations each has its own "trendy" diagnoses patterns, this is a real concern. While S.A.D. does run on a cycle, it is not "bipolar;" and while depression is certainly a major factor in S.A.D., there is much more to it than the more widely-recognized "clinical depression." Plainly stated, it kicks in with the shortening of daylight hours, and is relieved when those hours begin to expand.

As moving South or to California is not an option to many people, all that can reasonably be done is to deal with it as best as possible and hope that a more feasible cure will be found.