Custom essays on Winter depression

Numerous researches show the dependence of SAD development from the amount of light. Therefore, when people claim that they feel blue because of dull weather it is no more a simple complaint but a scientifically explained fact. Some people might feel the worsening of health in September, others in December, but the fact that with the decrease of sunny days, the state of health and mood worsens is not a secret any more. However, modern conditions of life show us that it is erroneous to blame only winter in the development of SAD. Even in sunny locations, people are often deprived of light due to their conditions of life and work. Basement flats, windowless buildings, enclosed spaces with artificial lights also lead to the problems with health. We do not notice it but light gives us the power to live and the vital energy. It fills us with strength and activity, while we underestimate its significance and are not able to notice its lack for our organism (Ott, 2000).
Another revealed cause of winter depression is heredity. Many people suffering from winter depression, find the same symptoms in the medical histories of their parents and grandparents. Heredity conditions liability to SAD and those people whose relatives suffered from winter blues are more likely to suffer from it too and more severely than others.
The main aim of this project is to give as much information as possible to the problem of winter depressions and to draw people’s attention to the fact that treatment is necessary and effective. Very often people just do not pay proper attention to their indisposition, living with it and suffering from it, or those who feel it more sharply do not realize its causes. The depression itself has become a disease not so long ago, not mentioning the winter blues. The first step to its treatment is its acceptation. Realizing that we are ill and not temporarily tired can help us to overcome our symptoms. Considering our irritation an depressed thoughts a result of bad mood and some problems in life, we neglect the real cause of the problem and postpone our recovery to an uncertain period of time.
However, not all the scientists consider winter depression a disease. Some of them classify it as an expected reaction to weather changes, originated from our nature. It is known that many species of animals have decreased activity and food consumption in winter, some of them even hibernate. Therefore, the scientists suggest that winter blue is normal for people but still it has to be treated.
Being neglected the disease might progress and turn from lethargy into obsessive depression, entailing suicidal thoughts. Today, light therapy has proved to be very efficient for the majority of people, though not for everybody. On the one hand, it is very useful to increase the amount of light at home or at work place by all possible means, on the other hand, it is far more reasonable and comfortable to use a special light box, which radiates more light than common lamps. “The amount of light (or intensity) that has been found to be ther – apeutic ranges between 2,500 and 10,000 lux… the average room at night is illuminated at a level of 300 to 500 lux; offices are usually somewhat brighter-between 500 and 700 lux”(Rosenthal, 2006, p. 118).
Moreover, there are also other means to treat SAD if the light therapy does not work or is not enough. Psychotherapy and antidepressant medications can also be very helpful. Skillful therapist might help to look at life from different point of view, to find new positive perspectives in everyday life and to perceive winter and its influence not so painfully as earlier. Antidepressant medications that are used widely in treating wide range of different forms of depressions might also lead a person out of SAD and together with psychotherapy decrease the influence of winter blues.
Thus, the research of the problem of winter depression will show the original causes of this problem and the ways of its solution. The phenomenon of winter blues is not thoroughly researched yet and there are many questions to be answered, still the scientists have already acknowledged winter depression a disease and worked out particular ways of its treatment. However, nowadays it is very important to explain the significance of this disease to people and give them all the necessary information in order to help them change their life for better and manage their mood despite the change of seasons.

References
Gabbard, Glen O. Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders (Third edition, Volume 2 ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing. pp. 1296
Hayes, L. (2008). The Light of Day: A Mindbody approach to Overcoming Seasonal Affective Disorder. Trafford Publishing.
Ott, J. N. (2000). Health and Light: The extraordinary Study that Shows How light Affects Your Health and Emotional Well being. Ariel Press.
Rosenthal, N. E. (2006). Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder (Revised ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
Sher, Leo, Matthews J. R., Turner E. H., & Postolache T. T. (2001). “Early Response to Light Therapy Partially Predicts Long-term Antidepressant Effects in Patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder.” Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN 26.4: 336+.
Smyth, A. (1992). Seasonal Affective Disorder: Who Gets It, What Causes It, How to Cure It. Thorsons Publishers.
Uz, T; Manev, H (2001). “Prolonged swim-test immobility of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AANAT)-mutant mice”. Journal of Pineal Research 30 (3): 166–170.