You SAD, bro?

Seasonal Affective Disorder, more commonly known by its acronym SAD, is perhaps most easily (and literally) described as a form of seasonal depression. As the fall becomes winter, sunlight is seen less and less, and the days become shorter. As it turns out, that gloomy feeling some of us get through the fall and winter months may actually be due to the lack of natural sunlight. It may also have something to do with circadian rhythm mismatches that develop as the days become shorter.

The serious medical community, that is, the guys and gals in white coats, suggest a few forms of treatment for those who have a doctor-verified case of SAD. Treatments may be combined depending on how the patient responds and should be prescribed by a physician.

The first treatment is light therapy, also known as phototherapy. This involves spending a specified amount of time in the presence of a special lamp. Sunlight is preferred, but in places like the northwest, sunlight may not be an option.

The second type of treatment is the use of melatonin at specific times. In review of a study conducted by OHSU, the National Institute of Mental Health found, “While the study was not designed to test the efficacy of melatonin treatment, the researchers suggest that its clinical benefit ‘appears to be substantial, although not as robust as light treatment.'”

Lastly, there is the option of Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor anti-depressants.

For those that wish to self-medicate (which I am in no way endorsing), naturopaths also have some recommendations.

Dr. Andrew Weil recommends daily exercise (which one should be getting anyway, regardless) and supplementing with 2000IU or more of vitamin D. Weil believes that vitamin D deficiency may be an underlying cause of SAD.

Dietician Jim Gallagher recommends making sure intake of omega-3 fatty acids is adequate, though again that is something one should be paying attention to regardless of whether they are suffering from SAD or not. Gallagher recommends regularly eating fatty fish or supplementing with fish oil. Standard fish oil dosage is 2–3g (normally 2–3 gel caps) per day.

There is also the option of St. John’s Wort, which has been touted as a natural anti-depressant since the 1990’s. As always though, it is important that the user separate manufacture claims from empirical evidence. For those thinking about using St. John’s Wort (or any supplement), be sure to talk to your doctor, especially as it may decrease the effectiveness of the birth control pill.