Updated January 29, 2014.
Do you have seasonal affective disorder? If you experience symptoms like depression, fatigue and carbohydrate cravings during the shorter days of winter, but then begin to feel better each year when spring arrives, it's possible that you could have this form of depression.
In addition to psychological symptoms like depressed mood and loss of interest in everyday activities, seasonal affective disorder also manifests with physical symptoms like fatigue and cravings for starchy or sweet foods.More »
Researchers have investigated using light therapy for a variety of ailments including non-seasonal depression, bulimia, PMS, insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression during pregnancy with promising results.More »
Many light therapy devices on the market claim to be able to treat seasonal affective disorder, but not all meet the recommended requirements for treatment. Before buying a light box, check if it meets the following recommendations from the Center for Environmental Therapeutics (CET).More »
Do you have seasonal affective disorder? If you experience symptoms like depression, fatigue and carbohydrate cravings during the shorter days of winter, but then begin to feel better each year when spring arrives, it's possible that you could have this form of depression.
1. What Are the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
In addition to psychological symptoms like depressed mood and loss of interest in everyday activities, seasonal affective disorder also manifests with physical symptoms like fatigue and cravings for starchy or sweet foods.More »
2. What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder is believed to be caused by a disturbance in the normal circadian rhythm of the body. This rhythm, which is influenced by light entering the eye, can become disrupted during the shorter days of winter when we may not be outdoors during daylight hours.More »3. How Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Diagnosed?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is diagnosed using the criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). You can learn what these specific criteria are here.More »4. What Is the Best Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder?
The strongest data is for bright light therapy, a method that has been investigated for over two decades in well over 1,000 patients.More »5. Are There Any Other Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder?
There are several alternative treatments for seasonal affective disorder besides light therapy. Antidepressants are an effective and commonly used treatment for seasonal affective disorder, while dawn simulation and high-density negative air ionization have been investigated experimentally as non-drug alternatives.More »6. Can Light Therapy Help Other Depressive Disorders?
Researchers have investigated using light therapy for a variety of ailments including non-seasonal depression, bulimia, PMS, insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression during pregnancy with promising results.More »
7. What Kind of Light Box Should I Buy?
Many light therapy devices on the market claim to be able to treat seasonal affective disorder, but not all meet the recommended requirements for treatment. Before buying a light box, check if it meets the following recommendations from the Center for Environmental Therapeutics (CET).More »