Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that occurs in relation to the seasons, most commonly beginning in winter.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is marked by symptoms of depression profound enough to seriously affect work and relationships. The disorder may have its onset in adolescence or early adulthood and, like other forms of depression, occurs more frequently in women than in men. Most people with the "winter blahs" or "cabin fever" do not have SAD.
The cause of SAD is not known, but is thought to be related to numerous factors including body temperature, hormone regulation, and ambient light. A rare form occurs in the summer.
As with other types of depression, antidepressant medications and talk therapy can be effective. Light therapy using a special lamp to mimic the spectrum of light from the sun may also be helpful.
Symptoms commonly resolve on their own with the change of seasons.
Expectations (prognosis)
The outcome is good with continuous treatment, although some people have the disorder throughout their lives.
Complications
Seasonal affective disorder can sometimes progress to a major depressive syndrome.
Calling your health care provider
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you experience symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
Prevention
Individuals who have suffered from recurrent seasonal depression should speak with a mental health care professional to explore preventive treatments.
Depression (4 images)
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time. See also: Adolescent depression; Depression in the elderly. Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/17/2007
Panic disorder
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that causes repeated, unexpected attacks of intense fear. These attacks may last from minutes to hours. See also: Generalized anxiety disorder Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/25/2006
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a condition characterized by a chronic preoccupation with rules, orderliness, and control. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/15/2006
Schizophrenia (1 image)
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Schizophrenia is a mental disorder. It difficult for a person to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to have normal emotional responses to others, and to behave normally in social situations. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/08/2006
Anorexia nervosa (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person refuses to stay at even the minimum body weight considered normal for their age and height. Persons with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain and a distorted body image. Inadequate eating or excessive exercising results in severe weight loss. See also: Bulimia; Intentional weight loss. Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Reviewprovided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Date: 05/21/2007
Bulimia (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Bulimia is an illness defined by food binges, or recurrent episodes of significant overeating, that are accompanied by a sense of loss of control. The affected person then uses various methods - such as vomiting or laxative abuse - to prevent weight gain. Many, but not all, people with bulimia may also suffer from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder involving severe, chronic weight loss that proceeds to starvation. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/31/2006
Autism
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Autism is a complex developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, although it is sometimes diagnosed much later. It affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. Common features of autism include impaired social interactions, impaired verbal and nonverbal communication, problems processing information from the senses, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. The symptoms may vary from moderate to severe. Two related, milder conditions are Asperger syndrome and "pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified" (PDD-NOS. Reviewer: Daniel W. Haupt, M.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 02/19/2007
Major depression with psychotic features (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
This is a condition in which depression is associated with absence of contact with reality (psychosis. This can take the form of false beliefs (delusions) or detecting something that isn't really there (hallucination. See also major depression and psychosis. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/08/2006
Generalized anxiety disorder (1 image)
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is behavior marked by¿a pattern of frequent, persistent worry and anxiety over many different activities and events. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/08/2006
Panic disorder with agoraphobia (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by repeated and unexpected attacks of intense fear and anxiety. Panic attacks are usually not related to a particular situation and typically peak within ten minutes of onset. The anxiety experienced by patients with social and specific phobias is usually expected or cued to a recognized stimulus. Agoraphobia refers to a fear of being in places where escape might be difficult, or where help might be unavailable in case of a panic attack. Reviewer: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/08/2006
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