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Shedding Light on Seasonal Depression

Summary & Participants

Every winter, when the days get shorter, people with seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, experience depression. Learn how light can help chase away the winter blues.

Medically Reviewed On: July 02, 2008

Webcast Transcript

MICHAEL TERMAN, PhD: What we realize now is that the whole gamut of depressions, whether seasonal or not, is modulated by the level of serotonin activity in the brain.

ANNOUNCER: So how do doctors diagnose SAD? For some, that might take a little investigating.

MICHAEL TERMAN, PhD: The first question to ask is, how were you feeling in June and July? Next question to ask is, how were you feeling at this time last year and the year before? Third question to ask is, if you add up all your winters and all your summers, how much more likely have you been depressed at this time of year than at the alternate time of year?

ANNOUNCER: People suffering from SAD can do some prep work by filling out an inventory of their symptoms. An automated form can be found on www.cet.org.

MICHAEL TERMAN, PhD: It's called the "Personal Inventory for Depression and SAD," and it asks you symptom by symptom what you have and when you have it, and how severe is it?

ANNOUNCER: Once a diagnosis is made, SAD sufferers can begin to see the light.

MICHAEL TERMAN, PhD: Primary is bright light therapy in the morning after you wake up. When we use bright light therapy. It's a level equal to outdoor light about 40 minutes after the sun rises. There are light receptors in the eyes that are specialized for sending signals to the biological clock. So it resets the clock to its springtime mode, and that's when we begin to see the alleviation of symptoms. The average treatment duration that is adequate for most people is 30 minutes.

ANNOUNCER: In addition to light box therapy other options are available.

MICHAEL TERMAN, PhD: Options include dawn simulation therapy, in which you force an artificial sunrise in your bedroom while it's still dark outside.

Another option is negative air ionization therapy, in which you create summer-like conditions in the circulating air environment, either while you sleep or during the day.

Another option is standard antidepressant medication, which you really need to use only during the difficult months of the year, not all year long.

ANNOUNCER: Lastly, good old-fashioned psychotherapy is recommended.

MICHAEL TERMAN, PhD: There are indications that cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective in helping people deal with the challenges of winter and lifting their mood and improving their function.

ANNOUNCER: There is no cure for seasonal affective disorder but the treatments available can alleviate the symptoms and greatly improve quality of life until the buds of spring appear.

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