Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - Treatment Overview
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Symptoms
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Home Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) doesn't cure the seasonal depression, but it can help relieve your symptoms. Light therapy is the main treatment for SAD, and research is continuing to determine the most effective way to use it. Medicines and counseling may also be used to treat SAD.
Light therapy
Light therapy is an effective treatment for SAD.2
There are two types of light therapy: bright light treatment, in which you sit in front of a "light box" for a certain amount of time (usually in the morning), and dawn simulation, which is done while you sleep. For dawn simulation, a low-intensity light is timed to go on at a certain time in the morning before you wake up, and it gradually gets brighter.
Light boxes are available commercially and use fluorescent lights that are brighter than indoor lights but not as bright as sunlight. Ultraviolet light, full-spectrum light, tanning lamps, and heat lamps should not be used. You place the light box at a specified distance from you on a desk or in front of a chair and use it while you read, eat breakfast, or work at a computer. Light therapy is usually prescribed for 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the intensity of the light used and on whether you are starting out or are using it to maintain a response.
It may take as little as 3 to 5 days or up to 2 weeks before you respond to light therapy. Stopping light therapy will likely cause you to relapse back into depression.1
Light therapy may work by resetting your "biological clock" (circadian rhythms), which controls sleeping and waking.
If you have eye problems or you take medicines that make you light-sensitive, ask your doctor about whether light therapy is safe for you. Before you start treatment, tell your doctor about any other conditions you have and about the medicines you are taking .
Light therapy will need to be continued for the entire time you are depressed. People who discontinue treatment usually lapse back into depression.4
Antidepressants
Antidepressants effectively treat episodes of depression in people who have seasonal affective disorder. You may start to feel better within 1 to 3 weeks of taking antidepressant medicine. But it can take as many as 6 to 8 weeks to see more improvement. If you have questions or concerns about your medicines, or if you do not notice any improvement by 3 weeks, talk to your doctor. Antidepressants can be used along with light therapy or alone.4 The most common antidepressants used to treat people with seasonal affective disorder include:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Examples include citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (such as Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft).
- Other antidepressants. Examples include bupropion (Wellbutrin or Zyban), desipramine (Norpramin), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or venlafaxine (Effexor).
SSRIs are usually the first type of antidepressants given to treat SAD. SSRIs often have less serious side effects than other antidepressants. All antidepressant medicines are started at low doses and increased gradually. When stopped, they should be decreased gradually to avoid side effects.
General side effects of antidepressant medicines can include:
- Nausea, loss of appetite, or diarrhea.
- Anxiety or nervousness.
- Difficulty sleeping or drowsiness.
- Loss of sexual desire or ability.
- Headaches.
Bupropion can cause dry mouth. Bupropion should not be taken if you have seizures, severe problems with eating, or an eating disorder, because it can cause seizures.
For more information, see the topic Depression or see Drug Reference. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
Counseling
Counseling, such as interpersonal therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, may help with your treatment for SAD. You may choose individual counseling, participate in group counseling, or seek family therapy. During counseling, you will learn about SAD, ways to handle the symptoms, and how to help prevent future depressive episodes. If you have had SAD for a long time, your family members may also benefit from counseling.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: July 7, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Alfred Lewy, MD, PhD - Psychiatry | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
