Archive for the ‘SAD’ Category
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Tags: Bipolar Disorder, Children, Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression, Summer SAD, Support, Teens
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Monday, June 21st, 2010
Today marks the official first day of summer, also known as the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere. Here are some activities to think about doing to get yourself outside and enjoying the sunlight:
Do some gardening, take the bike out for a spin, go for a walk with your family or pets, go for a swim, have lunch at a restaurant with an outdoor patio, get a hammock or swing, play some games outside, or have friends over and grill. Celebrate that it is summertime and enjoy the sunlight.
Daylight brought indoors has been shown to improve productivity, enhance health and wellness, and reduce overall energy costs. Pure natural daylight makes colors more vivid, reduces eye strain, and, according to studies, the variation in solar light levels throughout the course of a day helps cure Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Tags: Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder
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Thursday, June 17th, 2010
Vitamins B12
Vitamins B6 and B12 affect and help regulate your mood, and might help alleviate SAD. A Finnish study reports vitamin B12 helps reduce depression.
Vitamins B6 and B12
Vitamins B6 and B12 promote healthy blood cells, and help regulate the nervous system. They affect mood and brain functioning.
The B Vitamins and SAD
Vitamins B6 and B12 promote dopamine production, one of the body’s neurotransmitters responsible for pleasure. If a person does not have adequate amounts of these vitamins, he might experience lethargy, a lack of concentration, anxiety and other symptoms similar to SAD.
Food Sources of Vitamins B6 and B12
Food sources include fish, meat, chicken, cheese, milk, eggs and fortified cereals. Vegetarians should consider a supplement.
Daily Requirements
Eat 1.3 to 1.7 mg of vitamin B6 per day. Eat 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 per day.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/32354-b-vitamin-seasonal-affective/#ixzz0r8XdhwsA
Tags: Depression, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression, Summer SAD, Vitamin B
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Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Here are a few support group links!
The Seasonal Affective Disorder Association:
http://www.sada.org.uk/
Daily Strength – Seasonal Affective Disorder Support Group:
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Seasonal-Affective-Disorder/support-group
Mental Health America:
http://www.nmha.org/go/sad
Facebook group for Seasonal Affective Disorder:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seasonal-affective-disorder/106176212746152
Tags: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Facebook, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression, Summer SAD, Support
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010
January and February are probably the worst months of the year for seasonal affective disorder sufferers. There are many things to do during theses dark days.
- Get more light in a safe way. You can:
• Use your light box regularly
• Keep our curtains open in the bedroom
• Get outdoors whenever the sun is out
• Take a drive in your car when the sun is out
• Brighten up your home
• Spend time in the brightest room in your house
• Don’t undertake unnecessary duties or chores
• Delay what can be delayed
• Don’t allow guilt to prevent you from saying no
- Explain to others what is going on and tell them what they can do to make your life easier
- Exercise as much as you can
- If you are not on medications and are still laboring under the burden of winter, discuss with your doctor the possibility of starting them
- If you are on medications and they do not seem to be helping, talk to your doctor about other possibilities
- Keep a journal
- Find out what brings you enjoyment and do more of it
- Find out what brings you discontentment and do less of it
- Accept the down time
- Accept that winter may never feel as good as the other seasons
- Busy some forced bulbs and watch them grow and bloom in the dark months.
- Wait for spring, because sooner or later it will come
Tags: Depression, Exercise, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Other people can be a great source of support and comfort to those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The top 5 things to do:
1. Understand the problem – You need to recognize that SAD is a real problem and affliction. Someone who suffers from SAD may look okay but can be having major difficulties in functioning. Your relative or friend with SAD needs more light and can benefit from your support and understanding. Once you understand the mood and energy problems of SAD, you will be able to handle them better.
2. Just be there – Just your presence and company can do a SAD sufferer good. Even though they may seem withdrawn and unfriendly, they appreciate the company. Many like the people being around, but you need to remember that you will probably not get a lot out of them.
3. Encourage the seasonal person – Remind them that this phase will pass, and they will feel better again. Remind them of some good times you have had, they may simply have forgotten. Because you understand that it is a seasonal problem, it can help just to remind them that it will pass.
4. Help with simple things – Just getting out of bed can be huge step. But asking them what you can do to help is greatly appreciated. It can be getting the kids ready and off to school, making breakfast or lunch or even dinner, getting groceries, household chores, doing the laundry or even paying the bills. Some things are simple and will take a couple of minutes, but it can make a huge difference.
5. Try to understand the seasonal person when they are in the other phase – It may come as a shock when the sufferer all of a sudden is happy and successful. But you need to understand that you need to be supportive either way. Sufferers can become a bit wired from the sudden abundance of sunlight. Many can show poor judgment or impulsiveness. If you see this happening you may want to speak with your doctor.
Tags: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression, Summer SAD, Support
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Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Circadian rhythm disorders are disruptions in a person’s circadian rhythm – a name given to the “internal body clock” that regulates the 24-hour cycle of biological processes in animals and plants.
The circadian rhythm is usually disturbed by pregnancy, time zone changes, medications, shift work, depression, or changes in your routine.
Depressives are notorious for being circadian out of sync – feeling sleepy or alert, warm or cold, hungry or without appetite, at the wrong times of day or night – as if they were jet lagged several hours.
Research suggests that for many depressives, the timing of bright light therapy is key, as if it were pushing or pulling their circadian clocks into sync. Indeed, for other conditions, tweaking the circadian clock is the express purpose of light therapy.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is also a symptom of a disrupted circadian rhythm. Doctors fear that if a person’s biological clock is disrupted for too long, it could lead to cardiovascular disease, and a depreciation of melatonin could increase a patient’s risk of cancer.
Tags: Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression
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Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression which usually occurs during the winter months. If you are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, you might be better off to avoid alcohol. Even a little alcohol could affect your SAD symptoms and make them worse. Symptoms can get worse if they are left untreated and if substance abuse is added.
While most people can drink a glass of wine or have a cocktail in the evening, those who struggle from seasonal affective disorder may have a different experience. There are many reasons that alcohol can create problems for seasonal affective disorder sufferers. Foremost, it could be dangerous with the medications they are taking. Second, alcohol is a depressant and this can make depression and anxiety worse. A person’s judgment and inhibitions can also be affected by alcohol. It can have a negative impact on their quality of sleep and can also worsen health problems. Therefore, those that suffer from seasonal affective disorder will find it more difficult to manage SAD if they are consuming alcohol.
Check with your doctor as well, if you are taking medications there is a high probability that you shouldn’t be drinking alcohol while taking them.
Tags: Alcohol, Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression
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Monday, May 24th, 2010
Many seasonal affective disorder suffers might wonder why they are affected by this disorder. It is important to understand what this disorder is and why it affects so many people, because if you have SAD you will most likely develop depression like symptoms every winter season. Although many people do develop this condition, some are more at risk than others for being diagnosed with SAD. It depends a lot on your sex, geographic location and genetics.
According to research, more females are diagnosed with SAD than males. This does not mean that men do not get SAD it simply means that development of SAD is more rare in men. However, if a male does develop SAD, studies indicate that their symptoms will be worse.
Where you live influences how likely you are to develop SAD because development of the disease depends on sunlight and weather. SAD appears to be more common among people who live far north or south of the equator, think states that usually have snow during the winter months. This may be due to decreased sunlight during the winter, and the longer days of summer.
All mental illnesses usually involve some sort of family history. As with other types of depression, studies do show that if SAD runs in the family, than you are more likely to develop the disease than someone who does not have relatives with the condition.
Tags: Depression, Light box, Light Therapy, Risk factors, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Severe Depression
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Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
How old you are has a lot to do with how much you sleep but also when you get that sleep. Babies sleep most of the time, little kids often wake up early, teenagers sleep past noon, and older people seem to sleep less.
The elderly are affected by depression due to changes in their lives, such as death of a loved one or isolation. Seasonal affective disorder is one type of depression that can affect the elderly, especially those who are housebound. While the most common form of seasonal affective disorder occurs during the fall and winter months, rare forms can happen during the spring and summer months.
Seasonal affective disorder is thought to be caused by a lack of ambient light, changes in body temperature or issues with hormone regulation. Elderly patients, who do not go outside often, especially during the fall and winter months, are susceptible. Also, seasonal affective disorder can develop into major depression.
Seasonal affective disorder is most often seen in the elderly during the fall and winter months. Symptoms include social withdrawal, decreased energy and concentration, lethargic movement, carbohydrate cravings, increased sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, decreased interest in activities and increased appetite with weight gain.
If you find as you get older that your sleep pattern changes, you shouldn’t automatically assume that there’s a problem. As long as you’re otherwise healthy and you’re getting adequate sleep, it could just be your circadian rhythm changing because of age. But talk to your doctor for additional help and advice, or if your side effects don’t go away or get worse.
Tags: Depression, Elderly, Light box, Light Therapy, SAD, SAD light, SAD lights, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Summer SAD, Teens
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