tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post8195677367460544349..comments2023-08-08T00:53:58.434-07:00Comments on Garth Kroeker: What is Depression?GKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14714377295981745087noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post-46589959372018828022009-02-06T11:21:00.000-08:002009-02-06T11:21:00.000-08:00Seasonal affective disorder appears to be a fairly...Seasonal affective disorder appears to be a fairly common syndrome. <BR/><BR/>Typically, the symptoms are depressed mood which consistently, recurrently happens during the dark winter months, and which consistently, recurrently improves during the summer. In Vancouver, the period between October 1 through to the end of March, is higher risk. <BR/><BR/>Seasonal depression appears to be frequently associated with oversleeping and overeating while depressed (i.e. so-called "atypical depressive symptoms"). <BR/><BR/>I'd have to dig into the research literature to examine the association (for example, genetically or neurophysiologically) between seasonal depression and other mood disorders. Maybe I'll find the time to do this and write a posting about it. <BR/><BR/>Many people with seasonal depression do report significant benefit from using light therapy (a 10 000 lux light box for 30 minutes every morning). It has the advantage of not being a drug, therefore not having any pharmacologically-induced side-effects. Light boxes cost about $200-300, usually a one-time expense. <BR/><BR/>There appears to be a reasonable evidence base supporting the use of light therapy. Quite a bit of the research has been done right here in Vancouver. I'm less wary about economic biases in this research, as light box manufacturers are very small players economically, compared to pharmaceutical companies. Yet, I think it is important to allow some skepticism into one's analysis of this research--as with many trends in therapy and medicine, sometimes things that appear to be effective appear much less so after a few decades of more careful scrutiny. <BR/><BR/>Among my patients, there are many who have reported beneficial effects from using light boxes. Not only in seasonal depression, but in other types of depression, including bipolar depression. Sometimes other schedules of using the light box have been helpful, such as using it for shorter periods, or using it several times per day. <BR/><BR/>There are other treatments for seasonal depression, including psychotherapy and antidepressants (any SSRI, also some recent evidence about Wellbutrin XL).GKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714377295981745087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6886575137375451769.post-8824917629317906412009-02-05T20:51:00.000-08:002009-02-05T20:51:00.000-08:00I haven't come across anything on S.A.D. here. How...I haven't come across anything on S.A.D. here. <BR/><BR/>How would you classify it in relationship to Depression? <BR/><BR/>Oh and what are your thoughts on light therapy? <BR/><BR/>I am still doing some research but the economy (i.e. money making companies) make it hard to distinguish quantifiable results.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com