Seasonal Affective Disorder Portland OR

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People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) dread the turn from fall to winter. Darkness on the outside brings depression on the inside. People with SAD don’t look forward to cozy nights in front of a roaring fire, skiing, making snowmen, or celebrating holidays. Instead, they simply hope and pray that they can muddle through until spring. Most scientists believe that the primary cause of SAD is diminished sunlight that accompanies the shorter days in the winter. For many people, reduced light triggers changes that reverberate throughout their bodies and minds, causing their moods to darken. In this article, we open the curtains on SAD, illuminating both the symptoms and treatments for SAD. With this insight in hand, you’ll know if you suffer from SAD and how to overcome the misery if you have it.

Getting to Know SAD
There’s more to SAD than changing seasons. SAD is a real form of depression that can seriously impact a sufferer. Moods associated with SAD can be so dark that the person starts missing work, withdraws from people, and in rare cases, contemplates suicide. SAD is more serious than bad moods related to cold weather or cloudy days. People with SAD usually report overwhelming feelings of fatigue, seriously depressed moods, cravings for carbohydrates, and disturbed sleep. These symptoms tend to endure through the winter months and improve in the spring. How do you know if you have SAD? For starters, how do you feel about the seasons? Are you a summer or a winter person? We have a quiz for you. Check off which of the following items apply to you:

I like summer more than winter.

I’m more active in the summer.

I don’t like the shorter days of winter as much as longer days in the summer.

I don’t like leaving work at 5:00 p.m. when it’s already getting dark.

I really enjoy the feeling of the first warm days of spring.

I spend more time outside in the summer.

I tend to gain a couple of pounds in the winter.

Did you answer yes to many if not all of the items? Guess what? If you did, that’s pretty darn normal. Most people express a little preference for the summer and its longer days. And most people are a little more active in the summer than the winter. The point we’re trying to make is that a mere preference for the summer versus the winter doesn’t mean you have SAD. In fact, your favorite season may be fall with its cooling temperatures and colorful foliage, yet you suffer from SAD that hits you hard after the last leaf falls. SAD is a condition in which the sufferers experience a major deterioration in moods that seems to come and go with the seasons (winter is especially problematic for the vast majority of SAD sufferers). Typical symptoms include

Deep sadness

Fatigue, excessive sleep

Feelings of regret

Loss of energy

Loss of motivation

Sense of worthlessness

Weight gain (more than just a couple of pounds)

Withdrawal from people

If these signs sound like what you’re experiencing, you may have SAD. While the symptoms of SAD are more intense during the colder, darker months, they can have an impact at other times of the year. A few people have a form of SAD that’s more intense in the brighter, sunnier months. As with any mood disorder or emotional problem, the causes can be complex requiring varied approaches for relief and cure. If you suffer from SAD and have tried one or two therapies without positive results, don’t give up!

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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.

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