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Archive for August, 2010

Facts About SAD

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Individuals who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) develop a depressed state when the seasons change from summer to winter. Once the weather begins to warm back up and days get longer, the symptoms leave. A lack of exposure to daylight and genetics contribute to the disorder.

Symptoms

Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms include fatigue, depression, a decrease in activity, overeating and a lack of desire to engage in social events.

Time Frame

The depression symptoms typically begin in October and begin to lift around March to April.

Demographics

SAD affects women more often than it affects men, but the symptoms in men are stronger.

Region

The disorder is most common in areas of the world farther from the equator. The days are shorter and therefore, less sunlight is available during the day.

Therapy

Because the cause of the disorder is a lack of daylight, therapy for SAD includes using a special light box 30 minutes a day to increase daylight exposure. Other therapy includes medications, moving to a warmer climate during the winter, learning stress-reduction techniques and eating a healthy diet.

Tags: Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder
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What Parents Can Do If Kids Have SAD

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Talk to your doctor if you suspect your child has SAD. Doctors and mental health professionals make a diagnosis of SAD after a careful evaluation and a checkup to ensure that symptoms aren’t due to a medical condition that needs treatment. Tiredness, fatigue, changes in appetite and sleep, and low energy can be signs of other medical problems, such as hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, or mononucleosis.

When symptoms of SAD first develop, it’s not uncommon for parents to attribute low motivation, energy, and interest to an intentional poor attitude. Learning about SAD can help them understand another possible reason for the changes, easing feelings of blame or impatience with their child or teen.

Parents sometimes are unsure about how to discuss their concerns and observations. The best approach is usually one that’s supportive and nonjudgmental. Try opening the discussion saying something like, “You haven’t seemed yourself lately ‚Äî you’ve been so sad and grouchy and tired, and you don’t seem to be having much fun. It seems like you’ve been feeling kind of worn out and exhausted ‚Äî like you just can’t get enough sleep. So, I’ve made an appointment for you to get a checkup. I want to help you to feel better and get back to doing your best and enjoying yourself again.”

Here are a few things you can do if your child or teen has been diagnosed with SAD:

Participate in your child’s treatment. Ask the doctor how you can best help your child.
Help your child understand SAD. Learn about the disorder and provide simple explanations. Remember, concentration might be difficult, so it’s unlikely your child will want to read or study much about SAD ‚Äî if so, just recap the main points.
Encourage your child to get plenty of exercise and to spend time outdoors. Take a daily walk together.
Find quality time. Spend a little extra time with your child ‚Äî nothing special, just something low-key that doesn’t require much energy. Bring home a movie you might enjoy or share a snack together. Your company and caring are important and provide personal contact and a sense of connection.
Be patient. Don’t expect symptoms to go away immediately. Remember that low motivation, low energy, and low mood are part of SAD ‚Äî it’s unlikely that your child will respond cheerfully to your efforts to help.
Help with homework. You may have to temporarily provide hands-on assistance to help your child organize assignments or complete work. Explain that concentration problems are part of SAD and that things will get better again. Kids and teens with SAD may not realize this and worry that they’re incapable of doing the schoolwork. You may also want to talk to the teachers and ask for extensions on assignments until things get better with treatment.
Help your child to eat right. Encourage your child to avoid loading up on simple carbohydrates and sugary snacks. Provide plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
Establish a sleep routine. Encourage your child to stick to a regular bedtime every day to reap the mental health benefits of daytime light.
Take it seriously. Don’t put off evaluation if you suspect your child has SAD. If diagnosed, your child should learn about the seasonal pattern of the depression. Talk often about what’s happening, and offer reassurance that things will get better, even though that may seem impossible right now.

Tags: Children, Depression, Exercise, Healthy, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression, Sleep Routine, Support, Treatment
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Treatment Options for Psoriasis

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Psoriasis is a common skin disease that affects the life cycle of skin cells. Normally, new cells take about a month to move from the lowest skin layer where they’re produced, to the outermost layer where they die and flake off. With psoriasis, the entire life cycle takes only days. As a result, cells build up rapidly, forming thick silvery scales and itchy, dry, red patches that are sometimes painful.

According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. It often appears between the ages of 15 and 25, but can develop at any age. Psoriasis treatments aim to interrupt the cycle that increases production of skin cells, thereby reducing inflammation and plaque formation. A new feature on MayoClinic.com focuses on¬†psoriasis treatment options, including topical treatments, light therapy (phototherapy) and oral medications.

Topical Treatments

Used alone, creams and ointments applied to skin can effectively treat mild to moderate psoriasis. When skin disease is more severe, creams are likely to be combined with oral medications or phototherapy.

Light Therapy (Phototherapy)

As the name suggests, this psoriasis treatment uses natural or artificial light. The simplest and easiest form of phototherapy involves exposing the skin to controlled amounts of natural sunlight. Other forms of light therapy include using artificial ultraviolet A (UVA) or ultraviolet B (UVB) light, either alone or in combination with medications.

Oral Medications

Severe psoriasis, or psoriasis that resists other types of treatment, may be treated with oral or injected drugs. Because of severe side effects, some of these medications are used for brief periods and may be alternated with other forms of treatment.

For more information, visit MayoClinic.com.

Tags: Light box, Light Therapy, Psoriasis
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Sleep and Your Health

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Some statistics on your health and sleep.

-Only 20% of teenagers get enough sleep (8-10 hours is optimal)

-According to a study done at the University of Michigan states that children who get less than 9.75 hours of sleep are 40% more likely to be overweight by sixth grade.

-The same study shows a direct correlation between the hours of sleep a child gets and their risk for obesity.¬† The rate for obesity declines with more sleep.

-Adults who sleep less that 7 hours have a high risk for weight gain.

-Only 20% of teens get adequate sleep.¬† A survey reported that 16% of teens admit to having sleep problems and 28% admit to falling asleep in school.

-New science relates the lack of adequate sleep to increased risk for obesity, depression, alcohol and drug abuse and future cardiovascular disease.

-Adolescents with a history of sleep problems are twice as likely to have ADHD as those without.¬† Some ADHD medications can exacerbate the sleep quality issues.

-A good night of quality sleep is key to memory and learning.¬† Our brain takes information in our short term memory and moves to the long term memory during sleep.

How can you and your family get the quality and ideal amount of sleep?

-Set a sleep schedule and do your best to keep it!

-Stay away from caffeine, sugar, and artificial sweeteners, as well as alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime.

-Stay physically active and exercise early in the day.

-Have a relaxing bedtime routine to get your body ready for sleep

-Make breakfast your biggest meal of the day.

-Get lots of bright light in the morning.

-Drink 8-10 eight ounce glasses of water per day.¬† Even mild dehydration (1/2 cup of your body‚Äôs water) could turn into¬†¬† low-grade chronic fatigue.

-Naps are ok but try to limit them to 15 minutes.

-Go to bed when you are sleepy.¬† If you don‚Äôt fall asleep in 15-20 minutes get up and leave the bedroom.

-Move the television out of the bedroom.

-Keep the bedroom cool and add blankets if you are chilly.

There are many things to try, but the important thing is to keep searching for the combination that is right for you and your body. Get the rejuvenating sleep that your body deserves every night. Try using a light box in the morning when you wake up to help keep your circadian rhythm in check.

Tags: Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Sleep disorders
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Diagnosing Depression

Friday, August 6th, 2010

When a patient has clinical depression, she has symptoms like sadness and anger that interfere in her life. Not all forms of depression are the same: each type of depression has different diagnostic criteria, such as the duration and number of symptoms. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that major depression, atypical depression and dysthymia are the most common forms of depression. Another depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, occurs only during certain times of the year.

Major Depression

Major depression is one type of depression that occurs in both children and adults, though it is more prevalent in women, according to the NIH. To be diagnosed with major depression, the patient must have five or more symptoms of depression that last for at least two weeks. Like other psychiatric disorders, these symptoms must be a change in the person’s normal mood and behavior, and must interfere in her ability to function. Examples of major depression symptoms include agitation, problems concentrating, sleeping difficulties, changes in appetite and weight, feeling hopeless or worthless, fatigue, withdrawal from once enjoyed activities, and suicidal thoughts. If, however, the patient has only two to four symptoms, she is diagnosed with minor depression.

Atypical Depression

The NIH states that one-third of patients with depression are diagnosed with atypical depression. The main diagnostic criteria of atypical depression is mood reactivity, where the patient’s mood either improves or deteriorates in response to an event; a patient with major depression, on the other hand, only has a depressed mood. In addition to the mood reactivity, the patient must have two or more of the following symptoms: a strong reaction to rejection, overeating, oversleeping and a heavy feeling in the limbs.

Dysthymia

Dysthymia is a chronic form of depression that affects five percent of the population, according to the NIH. A patient can have just dysthymia, or dysthymia combined with another form of depression, like major depression, or a psychiatric disorder. To be diagnosed with dysthymia, the patient must have a low mood for at least two years and two other symptoms, like poor concentration, feeling hopeless, low self-esteem, fatigue, changes in appetite and sleeping problems.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during the winter, though a rare form of SAD occurs during the summer, according to the NIH. For a patient to have SAD, symptoms must be present for at least two years, and he cannot have depressive episodes at other points of the year. Symptoms that distinguish SAD from other depressive disorders include decreased energy and concentration in the afternoon, lethargic movement, excessive daytime sleepiness, and carbohydrate cravings.

Tags: Depression, Light Therapy, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression
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