Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder [SAD]

Several forms of treatment are available for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and research is still underway to determine the most effective treatment for this disorder.

However, medical evaluation by a qualified health care professional is vital before any type of treatment is given to the patients suffering from SAD.

Some of The Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder [SAD] are:

Light Therapy or Light Bulb Therapy

In 85% of SAD cases, light therapy or light bulb therapy has proven to be extremely effective. The patient is exposed to very bright light for up to 4 hours a day. The light is 10 times brighter than normal light and helps to alleviate the depressive mood of the patient. Light therapy is the standard treatment for seasonal affective disorder and recommended by the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, as well as the National Institute of Mental Health.

This treatment needs to be applied when the first symptoms of this depression occur. A person is exposed to very bright light for up to 4 hours a day; the light here is 10 times brighter than ordinary light.

Light therapy is easy to use and has minimal side effects. It is safe and only people with pre-existing eye conditions need to be careful. Side effects like jittery feeling, nausea and burning of the eye disappear as the patient gets used to the therapy. Light therapy prompts the brain into releasing serotonin and inhibits the release of melatonin. The benefits of this therapy can be seen within a few days and the effect continues, provided it is used every day. Timing also plays a key role in light therapy. The best time to start is when one wakes up in the morning, preferably followed by a session in the afternoon.

Light therapy consists of sitting two to three feet away from a specially designed light box, placed on a table, allowing the light to shine directly through the eyes. The user can perform normal activities such as reading, working, eating and knitting while sitting in front of the box.

Medications for SAD

Antidepressant medications are used to treat people with SAD in conjunction with light therapy. Traditional antidepressant drugs or other psychotropic drugs like lithium and benzodiazepines are not considered useful in the treatment of SAD as they further depress the brain activity.

Only non-sedative SSRI drugs such as sertraline (Lustral), paroxetine (Seroxat) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are effective in dealing with the symptoms of this form of depression.

Exposure to Sunlight

Daily exposure to natural sunlight, especially during the afternoons helps in alleviating the symptoms of this form of depression. By sitting near a window or taking a walk in the afternoon, one can feel better over a period of time.

Counseling Therapy

Counseling and psychotherapy is also used in the treatment of SAD and enables a person with this disorder to relax and learn to cope with it. Counseling provides a person with insight into preventing future depressive episodes.

Exercise

Exercise is great help in treating seasonal affective disorder. It helps the patient to liven up and provides exposure to sunlight at the same time. It stimulates mood with exertion and pumping of hormones into the bloodstream. Exercise helps in keeping one engaged and by exercising one can easily get rid of lethargy and sleepiness. Walking in the sunlight for an hour is recommended for people suffering from SAD.

Environmental Modification

Providing a cheerful and bright environment may help an individual suffering from depression and lethargy. Brighter lights and mirrors can help in this regard and transform the darkness of winter into a cheerful environment.

These forms of treatments for SAD are given separately or combined in order to relieve the patients of their disorder. However, proper diagnosis by a health professional is important before any kind of treatment is started.