Seasonal Affective Disorder Blog
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Psychotherapy Beats Light Treatment for SAD
Posted 1 day 14 hours ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Oct. 29 – As daylight hours dwindle, people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can often feel the onset of wintertime depression, but a new study suggests one type of remedy may work better than another at banishing the SAD blues.
Cognitive behavioral therapy specially designed to treat people with SAD is more effective at preventing recurrences of depression than either light therapy or a combination of the two, the study found.
The psychotherapy may also be a time-saver – potentially welcome news with Daylight Saving Time coming to an end on Nov. 1. Read more...
Related support groups: Seasonal Affective Disorder
Gloomy Days Dim Cognitive Powers of the Depressed
Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, July 28 – A new study shows that gloomy days are linked with memory and other cognitive problems in people suffering from depression.
Previous research has shown that many people feel their moods shift with shifting skies, with more depression linked with less sunlight, but this is the first time that light exposure and cognition have been paired, stated the authors of a study appearing in the July 28 online issue of Environmental Health.
Light therapy, such as that prescribed for people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), might also help people with cognitive impairments, the authors added. Read more...
Related support groups: Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder
Brain's Serotonin May Explain Seasonal Mood Changes
Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Sept. 2 – Fluctuations in the actions of the serotonin transporter, which helps regulate the mood-altering neurotransmitter serotonin, may help explain seasonal affective disorder and related mood changes, researchers say.
In places where the weather changes with the seasons, people commonly feel happier and more energetic when the days are bright and sunny and more depressed and fatigued during the dark of winter. Scientists believe this is related to variations in brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating functions such as mating, feeding, energy balance, and sleep. Read more...
Related support groups: Seasonal Affective Disorder
