What can be done to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Lots of people admit they’ve felt “down” during the shorter days of fall and winter. However, the “winter blues” or “blahs” are less severe than Seasonal Affective Disorder and are not a clinical depression. These last for a shorter time and are not associated with the hopeless, low feelings that are associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder. The American Psychiatric Association’s guidelines on major depressive disorders recommend the entire range of depressive treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder.3 These include: • Exercise • Counseling • Antidepressant therapies • Light therapy (Note: Light therapy is considered to be an adjunct to antidepressant therapies for severe forms of SAD.3) Can antidepressants be used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder? Antidepressant therapy with dopamine reuptake inhibitors, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are effective for treating SAD just as they are for generalized senior depression. These
