Disorder of seasonal affective depression

Depression, in any of its forms, is a mental condition that can cause substantial havoc to a person’s life and significantly alter the path that they were on. One specific type of depression is known as seasonal affective depression disorder (SAD). This condition is considered to be a mood disorder that affects people considered to be of normal mental health throughout most part of the year but tend to develop depressive symptoms, most commonly during the winter months, but can also affect individuals during other seasons.

As a result, sufferers of the condition will only experience its onset during the winter months while appearing to be perfectly fine right through the rest of the calendar year. Some of the most prominent symptoms that affect sufferers include an increased need for sleep, fatigue, substantial weight gain accompanied by a significant loss of energy and an increased desire to be left alone. Recent studies have shown that as much as between 4 to 6 percent of the population of the United States of America suffers from this condition.

The studies also show that the condition tends to affect women more often than it does affect men with about three quarters of its victims being women still between the ages of 20 and 40.

While the primary causes of the development of the condition have not yet been confirmed, ongoing research indicates that the influence of an individual’s geographical location and latitude is known to play an important role. This is because the condition is directly linked to the availability of sunlight. Alternative research also indicates that the chemicals transmitted between the brain and the nerves may be altered – leading to the development of the condition.

Coping with and eventually treating SAD will require some adaptations in a sufferer’s lifestyle and also taking certain regulatory actions. The person should make it a point to spend more time outdoors, even on cloudy days; this will help the body use whatever sunlight it receives to counter the development of the condition. As with almost any medical condition, a person’s diet plays a very important role in controlling the condition and an increased intake of vitamins and minerals helps substantially. A regular exercise regime of about three workouts a week of 30 minute durations each will also help maintain good mental and physical health, thereby controlling the condition. The most serious complication arising out of SAD is the fact that about 20% of its sufferers will also suffer from bipolar disorder – which is a manic depressive disorder. It is important to be aware of this because of the fact that both conditions have vastly different treatments.