How Seasonal Affective Disorder Can Be Cured?

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood illness marked by symptoms that appear at the same time each year, usually during the darker, shorter days of autumn and winter. While this disease normally cures within a few months, it can have a significant influence on a person’s feelings and ability to operate.

It is not uncommon for people’s moods to change with the seasons. You may have noticed how a dark, rainy day makes you feel sleepy, whereas a sunny day makes you feel happy and energized.

Summer’s longer, brighter days are commonly connected with improved moods, whereas late fall’s shorter, darker days are frequently associated with an increase in SAD symptoms.

Diagnosis

Because other types of depression or mental health issues might create similar symptoms, it can be difficult for your health care provider or mental health expert to diagnose the seasonal affective disorder, even after a comprehensive evaluation.

A thorough evaluation usually includes the following to aid in the diagnosis of SAD:

• Examination of the body. Your doctor may do a physical examination and ask you detailed questions about your health. Depression may be linked to an underlying physical health issue in some circumstances.
• Tests in the lab A complete blood count (CBC) or a thyroid test, for example, maybe performed by your health care practitioner to ensure that your thyroid is operating appropriately.
• Psychological assessment. Your health care physician or mental health expert will inquire about your symptoms, thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns to screen for indicators of depression. To assist you to answer these questions, you can fill out a questionnaire.

Treatment

Light therapy, psychotherapy, and pharmaceuticals may be used to treat the seasonal affective disorder. Tell your health care physician and mental health professional if you have a bipolar illness; this information is crucial when administering light therapy or an antidepressant. Both of these treatments have the potential to cause a manic episode.

Therapeutic light

You sit a few feet away from a specific lightbox in light treatment, also known as phototherapy so that you are exposed to bright light within the first hour after waking up each day. Light therapy looks to be similar to natural outside light.

One of the first-line therapies for SAD that develops in the fall is light therapy. It usually takes a few days to a few weeks to start working and has very few negative effects. Although there is little research on light treatment, it appears to be useful for most people in alleviating SAD symptoms.

Before you buy a lightbox, talk to your doctor about which one is ideal for you and familiarize yourself with the various features and options so you can select a high-quality, safe, and effective product. Inquire about how and when the lightbox should be used.

Psychotherapy in Minneapolis

Another approach for treating SAD is psychotherapy, commonly known as talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a sort of psychotherapy that can help you:

• Learn how to live with SAD in a healthy way, particularly by limiting avoidance behavior and organizing meaningful activities.
• Recognize and change any negative thoughts or behaviors that are making you feel bad.
• Learn how to cope with stress.
• Increase your physical activity and improve your sleep patterns by incorporating healthy activities.

Medications

Take your doctor’s advice on drugs and stick to the prescription. However, keep in mind that psychotherapy counselling is the finest and that you can be cured as soon as possible.

If a person is experiencing severe SAD symptoms, they should seek medical guidance before taking any drugs and seek therapy from experienced therapists.

Get enough sleep to feel refreshed, but don’t oversleep, as SAD symptoms can make people feel like they want to hibernate. Participate in a regular exercise regimen or other sort of physical activity. Make healthful meal and snack selections to overcome mental stress and healthy.

Dealing with SAD Symptoms Healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices can also assist to alleviate SAD symptoms. Among the things you can accomplish are:

• Exercise regularly
• Getting adequate rest
• Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and protein
• Vitamin D is an important nutrient.
• Vitamin D deficiency is common in persons with SAD, according to research.
• As a result, patients with the illness are frequently urged to boost their vitamin D consumption by food, sunlight exposure, or vitamin supplementation.
• However, the evidence for effectiveness is equivocal. Some research suggests that it may be as helpful as light treatment, while others claim that vitamin D has little effect on SAD symptoms.

Getting Ready For Your Appointment

Consult your primary care physician or a mental health expert such as a psychiatrist or psychologist to begin.

Here’s some information to help you prepare for your consultation.

• Make a list of what you can do before your appointment:
• Feeling sad, lacking energy, sleeping excessively, and changing your appetite are some of your symptoms.
• Your depression patterns, such as when it first appears and what appears to make it worse or better.
• Any other mental or physical health issues you may have – both can have an impact on your mood.
• Have you recently experienced any substantial pressures or life changes?
• All of your drugs, vitamins, herbs, and other supplements, as well as their dosages
• What questions should you ask your doctor or a mental health professional?

Seasonal mood swings are frequent, but seasonal depression can be a serious illness that affects your well-being and capacity to function properly. If you think you could be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), talk to a therapist at Psychotherapy Partners.

We are committed to providing the highest quality psychotherapy counseling in Minneapolis for individuals, couples, and families, with tailored solutions. Because of their experience in a variety of practice settings, our therapists are also capable of treating anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses.