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Seasonal Depression also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder affects some individuals every year during the same season. For instance, if you feel depressed in every winter, but feel better in other seasons, you may suffer from this disorder. Though the exact cause of seasonal depression is not yet known, it is believed that decreased exposure to sunlight may cause this condition. It may also have links with the levels of melatonin secreted in the body and other physical depression symptoms. Geography also plays a role in contributing to this condition. Seasonal depression is more common among people living in northern climate.
Get to Know the Seasonal Depression Symptoms
People suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder have most of the common depression signs like sadness, B12 deficiency, irritability, withdrawal from social activities, loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities , cravings for carbohydrates and inability to focus. Fatigue, decreased energy level, increase in appetite, increased need for sleep and weight gain are some of the winter seasonal depression symptoms. Weight loss, decreased appetite and trouble sleeping are some of the symptoms of summer seasonal depression.
If you experience depression symptoms in a particular season every year, you need to see your doctor. He/she will make a thorough assessment, determine the level of the disorder and recommend the right seasonal depression treatment.
Seasonal Depression Treatment Options
Light therapy is one of the most effective treatment options that help reduce seasonal depression symptoms. The therapy involves exposing you to light from a device containing white fluorescent light tubes that are covered with a screen to prevent UV rays.
You need not look at the light directly, but can do any other activity like reading a book or eating with the device set in front of you. Light therapy is normally safe. It may cause minor side effects like eye strain, irritability, headache, insomnia and fatigue sometimes. You can avoid or reduce these side effects by getting the light therapy during the day.
Antidepressant medications may be prescribed along with light therapy to speed up the results. The doctor may even suggest you to increase the time you spend outdoors during the day. Maximizing your exposure to sunlight is simple yet safe and effective method to get rid of the depression symptoms. Counseling like cognitive behavioral therapy can help you deal with the depression symptoms effectively.
Exercise is one of the natural seasonal depression treatment options. Walking outdoors on a bright day, riding a bike, swimming or exercising on a treadmill with a light box opposite to you can help you prevent the onset of symptoms. It is also important to take a healthy balanced diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals. This helps to keep you energetic and reduce your craving for sweets and starchy foods. As you can gain weight as a result of seasonal depression, it is advisable to take a low fat diet. You can also get involved in doing some activities with your social circle. This can help you get a lot of support to manage the symptoms in winter months.
