Military Officer - December 2008 - (Page 58) MA NY PEOP LE W HO LIVE in climates with changing seasons dread the onset of winter, with its short, cold days and the prospect of being housebound until spring. But for a small percentage of the population, especially those in northern latitudes, the snowy months bring on a truly debilitating condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). For those sufferers, SAD is much more than a case of the winter blahs. less, says Rosenthal. Where standard Davis. “I’ve seen rates as high as 10 clinical depression might leave suffer- or 11 percent in some of the northern ers unable to sleep, SAD patients often latitudes, dropping to under 5 perfeel drowsier and tend to sleep more cent as you approach the equator.” than usual — nine or 10 With SAD linked to hours a day or more. diminished light beSAD usu“Some people have cause of winter’s shortally begins compared it to a hiberer days, scientists and nating bear: You just medical researchers to clear want to store up on first used light therapy up at the food and tuck yourself as a treatment. Patients first signs away for the winter, go were given high-inof spring, into your cave, and not tensity, full-spectrum but it isn’t have to deal with the fluorescent light boxes world,” says Rosenthal. and instructed to sit something “For bears, that’s norin front of them for 30 to ignore. mal, but for humans, to 60 minutes a day — it isn’t. And [it’s] quite ideally in the morning, impairing in terms of being able to because studies show that time of day work or get things done.” produces better results in elevating mood — in the winter months. Latitude affects attitude Although light boxes proved efAlthough all the factors that profective, there was a drawback. Many duce the condition aren’t known, people’s lives are so hectic they the link between SAD and latitude don’t have time for light therapy — is well-established. “Between 17 and no matter how helpful it might be. 18 percent of the public have clinical But in the 1990s, doctors began predepression, so you look for the subscribing selective serotonin reuptake segment of that number attributable inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of antideto seasonal affective disorder,” says pressant for clinical depression, and How it feels Though the medical world has known about SAD for years, it isn’t entirely understood. The symptoms — similar to clinical depression — are familiar enough, with some exceptions. “People with SAD tend to keep to themselves,” notes Dr. Joshua Rosenthal, a psychiatrist based in Columbia, Md. “They tend to crave foods more — especially carbohydrates — and they snack a lot more.” That’s in contrast to more traditional types of depression, where people actually feel less hungry and eat 58 MILITARY OFFICER DECEMBER 2008 “ “It’s not just a shift in mood because of an event or situation; it’s more ongoing and persistent,” explains Dr. Mary Helen Davis, director of behavioral oncology at the Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Ky. “SAD differs from clinical depression in that it seems to be correlated with the seasons and the shifting of light. Those affected generally begin to see a change in mood starting around October, when the days begin to shorten, and it may persist until March or so when the days start getting longer.” “
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