Is it depression or seasonal affective disorder?

By Danielle Miller, GalTime.com

Is it depression or "winter blues"?...

Winter blues infamous. I have still one, don't know experience you on some level or another winter blues. This generalized melancholy is commonplace, and it is easy to imagine why - it's dark when you wake up the morning and dark when you leave work in the evening. You do not want to go; You want to stay. You are on the sofa, nights and weekends, in your fidelity to the ceiling, tissue box wrapped in hand, tears you can locate most of the reasons. People (including me), who suffer from this condition, triggered by the onset of winter sleep tend to the House (as much as we can 9-5'Ers) until the end of April or even may.

The medical term for what us during these plagues of month winter seems very appropriate: seasonal affective disorder (SAD short). And even though as the arrival of the slow and benign, signs of telltale symptoms specific, seasonal depression announce loud and clear.

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"Shortcut days fear many people can create a", explains psychotherapist based in Manhattan, Lisa roast stroke, depression and relationships and working with people who suffer from SAD. You have identified a variety of symptoms that may be caused by this disease: depression, anxiety, hopelessness, loss of energy, weight gain, loss of interest in normal activities and social withdrawal.

"Symptoms to go and come the same time, each year (starting in early autumn and lasts until the middle)," explains line roast. "" "". "It is difficult to make the difference between a non-seasonal and SAD depression, because many of the symptoms are the same," explains. "Met with the following criteria for a diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder: you have experienced depression and other symptoms at least two consecutive years during the same season each year.". Periods of depression were followed by periods without depression. "

Although seasonal depression, there are factors, can increase the risk of experiencing SAD. Roast line recommends a glance your family history if you suspect that you may suffer from the disease. "As for other types of depression, rather to related with problems emotional seasonal with the State may have."

Roast line also notes that place and gender are important factors to consider, if sad diagnosis. "Seasonal affective disorder appears to be more common among people from the North or South of the Ecuador and is more common in women than men diagnosed, but men have symptoms that are more restrictive."

Seasonal depression can be difficult, for himself, to identify the light in particular of the time of the year. After all, there is so much to go during the winter months (holidays, etc.), of course, that we tend more in situations of stress and sometimes depressed are. But when you start to ensure that what you feel and if you feel it, SAD may be easier to detect and treat. For the victims of the DSS, the correlation between the lack of light and a feeling of anxiety is felt: our fear is worse still when it is dark and things seem better if it is during the day.

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"Phototherapy is suitable for most of the people with SAD." Researchers have demonstrated that light makes a difference in the chemistry of the brain, "explains line roast.". "Bright light treatment is phototherapy." Sit down you to a "light box" for half an hour in the morning. Another treatment is the simulation of the dawn. "" For this treatment is low light in the morning while you sleep, and it is light as a sunrise time ".". Roast line notes that phototherapy should every day until the change of the season to use are and is often combined with talk therapy and antidepressants sometimes.

Although the General depression and seasonal depression are technically different diseases, both conditions share some of the same repairs. "As a depression, it is important to isolate the sense, to resist to the.". Surround yourself with "roasted beats trait." with the people you like, "If the depression is severe or if you have suicidal thoughts, please consult a therapist immediately on treatment options, or help in an emergency room." A mental health professional can diagnose symptoms and recommend treatment options. "SAD can be managed with the right care."

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