The Winter Blues
In the winter do you:
- want to hibernate?
- feel fatigued and down?
- change your sleeping and eating habits?
- feel sad or blue?
- lose interest in things?
Treatment for SAD - Light Therapy
We
strongly recommend against self-diagnosis and self-treatment.
Instead, you are encouraged to seek evaluation by a qualified
professional for the problem you are experiencing. If you decide to
pursue light therapy, it is strongly recommended that you do so under
the supervision of a qualified professional because of the possibility
of side effects and because light therapy can affect your sleep.Bright Light therapy has been an effective treatment for many people. A light box device has been designed specifically for use in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder. Although many different products are available, we recommend that you purchase a standard-size (as opposed to a smaller desk unit) light box that gives off 10,000-lux of cool white fluorescent or full spectrum light with a built-in screen to filter out harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Light therapy units with these qualities are the most widely tested in clinical trials for SAD.
Treatment for SAD - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective, non-drug treatment for depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a tried-and-true treatment for depression. Our preliminary studies show that cognitive-behavioral therapy is a promising new treatment for SAD.Based on 3 decades of research, all of the following statements are true of cognitive-behavioral therapy:
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been effective in treating community volunteers, adult outpatients, and elderly people with depression.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been effective in treating both mild and more severe depression.
• Most comparisons have shown cognitive-behavioral therapy to be as effective as medications in treating depression.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy has no physical side effects.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy may prevent or help delay relapse (or return) of depressive symptoms in the future better than other forms of treatment for depression.
• Preliminary studies in our group suggest that cognitive-behavioral therapy may be as effective as light therapy in treating SAD.