Seasonal Effective Disorder Essay

As it continues to get colder, I have an underlying fear that my seasonal depression will return, and I will never be able to escape it. Yes, I am lucky that the coldest it really gets here is around 40 degrees, but I am most definitely not going swimming in December. It will snow, but not to the point where I will be sick of it. People from the south will freak out when it snows, and classes will be canceled. Maybe I didn’t escape the cold completely, but I will no longer live through the dreadful 5 months that make up winter in the north. I get my little taste of winter, and that’s more than enough for

episodes of fall/winter depression alternating with periods of spring/summer euthymia (norma l mood) or hypomania (mild elation and behavioral activation)” (2). There has been much research done to support the SAD and to find effective treatments for the annual malady such as bright light therapy. SAD generally occurs in the winter months, beginning around November and ending around March. People with symptoms of SAD differ from regular depressives in that winter depressive; have fewer suicidal tendencies, a less negative mood, fewer signs of dependency and less self-criticism. Symptoms of SAD include overeating, weight gam,

The seasonal symptoms experienced by someone with SAD align with other forms of major depression and include feelings of uselessness or unimportance, fatigue, lack of interest in once enjoyable tasks, sleeplessness, appetite and weight fluctuations, lethargy and irritability, problems focusing and suicidal ideation (The National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). These symptoms may differ somewhat depending on the seasons with which the individual is experiencing the episodes of depression. For instance, individuals who experience depressive episodes during the winter tend to overeat, have decreased energy, experience excessive sleepiness, gain weight, crave carbohydrates, and are socially isolated (The National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). On the other hand, individuals who experience episodes of depression during the spring and summer tend

Seasonal Affective Disorder is just like its abbreviation spells out…SAD. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very common type of depression. It is a depression that is related to changes in the seasons. Seasonal Affective Disorder is mostly associated with late fall and winter when it is cold outside and less with spring and early summer when it is hot outside. The definition makes you wonder what causes this type of disorder, does it not?

Having dealt with this myself, I know that it can majorly deteriorate the mental health of the sufferer. It starts out as feeling slightly fatigued and wanting to sleep more, and increases at a rapid rate to sometimes severe side effects, like suicidal thoughts or actions. Other symptoms and signs to look for are a weight gain, loss of interest, tiredness, difficulty concentrating and staying on task, and thoughts of hopelessness and worry (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). While not all of these symptoms are applicable to all sufferers, many people face these obstacles through the entirety of winter. In the cases of SAD in the summer, symptoms are generally the opposite. Things to pay attention to in the summer are troubles sleeping, weight loss, anxiety and restlessness (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). Though these two types of Seasonal Affective Disorder are fairly contradictory symptome wise, they both affect many people ver

There are many different varieties of mood disorders however this paper is focused on cyclothymic and dysthymic disorders. Dysthymic mood disorder has long term effects where cyclothymic has short term effects. Mood disorders can happen to anyone at any time. It can be hereditary or simply caused by chronic stress. This paper will look at what each of these disorders are, how the come about, symptoms, and treatment. This paper will also talk about some case studies involved in each disorder to give examples of what it is like to live with a mood disorder. The entire scholarly journal authors used in this paper has a degree in phycology or education.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression. It is when you feel sad, down, or blue at specific times of the year. The most common time of year for this is late fall and winter. This is when the days are shorter and most people spend less time outdoors. This is why SAD is also known as the “winter blues.” SAD less commonly occurs in the spring or summer.

In these cases, patients having the same cyclic mood patterns as BD would support the statement that SAD is a Bipolar variation because the mood pattern persists, despite mania being less common in the winter. However, in a 1991 study, Wehr made a discovery that counteracted the categorization of SAD as a BD variant: the distinct symptom patterns of Winter-SAD and Summer-SAD. Patients with Winter-SAD are characterized by overeating and weight gain, social withdrawal, and oversleeping. Summer-SAD patients display opposite symptoms: decreased appetite, increased sex drive, and trouble sleeping. Although Summer-SAD symptoms resemble those of mania, Wehr clarifies that these symptoms are “opposite types of depression”(Goldman). In these cases, mania is not necessarily present in either condition, and the cyclic mood pattern is

It is estimated that as many as one out of every four people suffers the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder; better known as SAD. SAD is a form of depression that comes about as the daylight grows shorter in the autumn and winter months and changes the way people’s bodies react to their day. The causes of SAD and its symptoms are comparable to clinical depression, yet has risk factors that force it to stick out. SAD can be best understood by learning about its causes, symptoms and risk factors.

One major mood disorder that will be discussed is bipolar disorder. People who are bipolar tend to have episodes of both mania and depression, sometime by themselves or sometimes mixed. Some of the symptoms are a very active social life, rapid speech, racing

Known as a subset disorder of depression, seasonal affective disorder can only be identified as the recurrence of major depressive periods, typically during the autumnal months, which supress during the summer months of the year. Light therapy is known as the most effective treatment with minimal adverse effects, and successful administration is most common if conducted during the morning.

Also known as Manic-depressive disorder, bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is categorized by episodes of mania and depression. (Campbell,86) A common misconception of bipolar disorder is that the mood changes are very rapid.

What comes first to mind when picturing winter or summer? Does summer make you think of ice cream and having fun on beaches whereas winter brings up memories of cold and uninviting scenery? If so, you may be one of the many people diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder- S.A.D. for short. But- the question still lingers- Is Seasonal Affective Disorder real or can people just not handle the cold? Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a real disorder rather it is a growingly recognized characteristic of discomfort with the cold seasons in the indistinctive population. While S.A.D. was long not taken as a serious diagnosis it recently gained attention and a growing amount of scientific papers- such as- "reverse seasonal affective disorder" (3), "seasonal affective disorder in children and adolescents" (9), "seasonal premenstrual syndrome" ( 10), seasonal battering of women (I I) and a “hypothesized seasonal obesity disorder” (12) (All referenced in the attached article) referred to S.A.D. as a citation for seasonal disorders.

There are many different forms of depression which are also called mood disorders. The common misconception is that depression is only in one form. You could have Dysthymia, Major Depressive Disorder, or Cyclothymia. Dysthymia is very long lasting but not as severe as MDD. Major Depressive Disorder is a serious condition in which the characteristics of normal depression are felt more extremely. Cyclothymia is another name for Bipolar Disorder because at one point you’re