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Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) |
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| Statistics |
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National Mental Health Association, 2001
- Young people and women are at the highest risk for the disorder, but it can affect anyone.
- An estimated 25 percent of the population suffers from mild winter SAD, and about 5 percent suffer from a more severe form of the disorder.
National Mental Health Association, 2005.
- Three out of four SAD sufferers are women.
- The main age of onset of SAD is between 18 and 30 years of age.
- Seasonal affective disorder is estimated to affect 10 million Americans.
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| Signs and Symptoms |
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Those diagnosed with SAD experience symptoms of depression that occur regularly during the fall or winter months and seem to subside in spring and summer. (In some rare cases, the seasons of the year are reversed.) These symptoms must occur for two consecutive years. Those who experience these symptoms report feeling anxious, persistently sad, empty, and tired. Interestingly, these symptoms vary greatly in degree and according to gender and race.(1) Studies indicate that men exhibit more obsessive/compulsive traits and may be more suicidal while women tend to gain more weight and experience insomnia.
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| Additional Links |
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- An Introduction to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Treatment Options for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Includes Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Nutraceuticals as well as other treatment options.
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| Footnotes |
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1 Goel N, Terman M, Terman JS. Depressive symptomatology differentiates subgroups of patients with seasonal affective disorder. Depress Anxiety. 2002;15(1):34-41.
View Abstract
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This information is educational in context and is not to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Please consult
your licensed health care practitioner before using this or any medical information.
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