Doctors advise how to hamper holiday gloom

Do the winter blues have you down? It may be more serious than you think. You could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Each year more than half of a million people are affected by SAD in the United States. Though the specific cause for the disorder is unknown, it is often triggered by a change in melatonin and serotonin levels which affect the body's sleep patterns and mood.

According to Dr. John DeWitt, a psychiatrist with Aiken Psychiatric and Psychotherapy Associates, those affected by SAD experience symptoms such as lack of energy, weight gain, poor concentration and carbohydrate cravings.

About 30 percent of the patients that visit Aiken Psychiatric this time of year have some type of SAD component, he said.

"It's not just a mild condition," said DeWitt. "In some cases, medical treatment is required. It's not just feeling blue."

The disorder primarily effects women. Three out of four SAD sufferers are women, according to Mental Health America. Cases of SAD peak in December, January and February. They are followed by complete remission of symptoms in the spring and summer months, according to MHA.

DeWitt said SAD sufferers are typically people who feel good for the majority of the year but struggle to function during fall and winter. The disorder is diagnosed after a person shows symptoms for two consecutive years, DeWitt said.

Studies have shown that, if not treated, the disorder can lead to suicidal thoughts or behavior, social withdrawal, school or work problems and substance abuse.

"These folks really do suffer. They need treatment," DeWitt said.

SAD treatments include medications such as Zoloft, a brand of sertraline; Wellbutrin, a brand of bupropion; or Prozac, a brand of fluoxetine.

Light therapy has also proved to be an effective treatment for SAD. The therapy involves SAD sufferers taking in 30 minutes to an hour of bright light each day.

DeWitt said the light does not have to be sunlight and recommends that light therapy be administered in the morning, when it is most effective. Frequent exercise also helps offset symptoms.

"It's not something you want to ignore," DeWitt said of SAD. "It can be a lifelong process."

Symptoms of SAD include:

* Depression: misery, guilt, loss of self-esteem, hopelessness, despair and apathy

* Anxiety: tension and inability to tolerate stress

* Mood changes: extremes of mood and, in some, periods of mania in spring and summer

* Sleep problems: desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake or, sometimes, disturbed sleep and early morning waking

* Lethargy: feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine

* Overeating: craving for starchy and sweet foods resulting in weight gain

* Social problems: irritability and desire to avoid social contact

Facts about SAD

* Three out of four SAD sufferers are women.

* The main age of onset of SAD is between 18 and 30 years of age.

* SAD occurs in both the northern and southern hemispheres but is extremely rare in those living within 30 degrees latitude of the equator.

* The severity of SAD depends both on a person's vulnerability to the disorder and his or her geographical location.

Source: Mental Health America