The Roots of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Essay

Information about age of onset and duration of SAD, subtypes of SAD, psychiatric comorbidity and medication use were also obtained. The patients were assessed with an extensive questionnaire battery using observer-rated assessments and self report questionnaires at baseline, post-treatment and at 3 and 12-month follow-ups.

I have diagnosed myself with seasonal depression, which I can assure you is a very real disease. The technical name for this disorder is Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, which is defined as a mood disorder characterized by depression that occurs at the same time every year. Causes may be genetic, as I am sure that my dad also has seasonal depression. So many winters of my life have been spent shivering while walking around school, playing in the snow until I thought my hands would fall off, and fearing going back outside to feel the gust of cold wind take over my body. The condition gets worse during daylight savings when the sun sets at 5pm, and the cold night takes over. Thus, when applying to colleges, the coldest school I applied to was in Washington D.C. I refused to

in a SAD patient this does not occur until about two hours later. In order to

"Men pray to the gods for health and they ignore that it is in their power to have it."

Psychodynamic theorists believe that depression stems from dependence and loss. This idea is associated with the idea of losing a loved one like a parent or grandparent. This theory concludes that some people will regress into the oral stage of life and project the feelings they have while mourning on to themselves and become depressed. Most get over these feelings but some continue to get worse. Other ideas associated with this are imagined loss like one loses a job they have held for many years. In this fashion one unconsciously connects the loss of their job as equal to the loss of a

The DSM is a classified system used by psychiatrist and other clinical professions in order to diagnose clients and patients who show signs of some type of disorder. The two advantages of using this model or classification system ranges from the validity of an assessment used by clinicians and other health care professionals. Build around the concepts and purposes for the DSM model is that it supports a number of standard assessments of diagnosing different treatment providers. Furthermore, (Comer, J. 2016) suggest that the DSM-5 requires clinicians to provide both categorical and dimensional information which is part of being consistent in diagnosing. From a categorical perspective this refers to the name of a particular category of a disorder which is indicated on behalf of the client’s symptoms. From the dimensional perspective it is a rating of how the client symptoms and the severity of the dysfunction through various dimensions.

After Meesters modified Rosenthal’s definition, it was possible to diagnose correctly many more patients under the umbrella of SAD. Thus, as greater numbers of people were diagnosed, observed trends began to develop. Three in particular were noticed early on, and continue to prove true today. They included an overall lower rate of SAD in children compared to the general population, an increasing diagnosis rate in adolescents, and a much higher rate in adult females versus males. One study that became instrumental in establishing concrete evidence for the rates in children and adolescents was conducted after the inherent trends were noticed throughout the general population.

Depression In the dystopian story “All Summer in a Day” , by Ray Bradbury, it explains the bad things that Margot’s classmates did that made them guilty and shameful for their actions and it showed how my theme, depression, and how it is represented in the story. First, “Now the rain was slackening, and the children were crushed in the great thick windows,” (1 Bradbury). Rain symbolizes depression. Rain doesn’t allow children to go play outside and minimizes many opportunities, unlike the sun. The rain falling down also takes your mood with it.

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?

Due to the reduced daylight time frame within the fall and winter months along with the reduced sunshine light throughout the day, the light has potential to affect the optimal mood in a person’s behavior pattern (Partonen & Lonnqvist, 2002). Although researchers have concluded to various theories explaining the relationship between SAD and light, yet the majority have agreed that there is a significant relationship between sunshine light and the circadian cycle. Considering the rhythmic biological cycle as a main factor in SAD, one study states the amount of the hormone melatonin produced in one’s brain is probably the best index of circadian timing (Arendt, 2012). In addition, there has been additional evidence of phase delay in the timing of circadian rhythms in SAD patients as well (Partonen & Lonnqvist, 2002). According to Moscovici (2006), it is assumed “that the decrease in daylight exposure affects circadian rhythms via the retinal-hypothalamic pathways and the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the endogenous body clock, and the melatonin secretion through the pineal gland, subsequently affecting serotonin metabolism in such a way that it causes the kind of mood alterations seen in SAD.” Therefore, researchers in the clinical community began implementing light therapy to treat their SAD

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) takes place during the winter weather, this is due to the lessening of the sunlight during those months. The symptoms include lack of energy, eating more than you would usually, sleeping more and gaining weight. People are diagnosed after they have had these symptoms present during the winter for more than 2 years. This type of disorder can be treated with artificial light treatment. During light therapy, you sit or work near a device called a light therapy box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light.

This paper introduces a 35-year-old female who is exhibiting signs of sadness, lack of interest in daily activities and suicidal tendencies. She has no interest in hobbies, which have been very important to her in the past. Her lack of ambition and her suicidal tendencies are causing great concern for her family members. She is also exhibiting signs of hypersomnia, which will put her in dangerous situations if left untreated. The family has great concern about her leaving the hospital at this time, fearing that she may be a danger to herself. A treatment plan and ethical considerations will be discussed.

feelings can linger for years. Depression is a social disorder characterized by a depressed mood

Depression has numerous causes and effects which affect not only the person but the people around them. Depression doesn’t have a specific cause; in most cases it’s different for everyone. It is a common, treatable mental illness that can be experienced at any time in life. It is often described with feeling sad, unhappy, miserable, or “down in the dumps”. Most people have these feelings on occasion. There are several types of depression. These different types of depression describe slight, but often important, diagnostic differences. True clinical depression interferes with mood disorder in everyday life for weeks, months, or even years. Most people think depression affects only one

The term depression is widely misused in today’s society. All human beings experience periods in life where they are sad for a relatively short period of time, which is considered normal. Those who experience sadness for extended periods may be suffering from depression. Two terms used to reference the classifications of depression, are Major Depressive Disorder, and Dysthymia. Individual diagnosis of these classifications is dependent on the length of time, and severity of symptoms experienced by the individual. The causes for these depressive states can be due to genetics or the insufficient production of neurotransmitters, which provide the brain with the data necessary to regulate one's psychological well being. Two examples