Seasonal affective Disorder
Everyone recognizes "spring fever," the giddiness that lifts the spirits as the short, dark days of winter become the longer, sunnier days of spring. But, have you ever noticed the decrease of energy during the fall and winter month? Doctors first noticed this opposite, annual winter depression, 150 years ago, but the condition remained a theory until the early 1980's, when researchers began linking the darkening of people's winter moods to the lack of sunlight from November through March. Today, this condition is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression brought about by shortened days and decreased sunlight during the winter season. The symptoms of SAD, which occur every winter like clockwork, include lack of energy, increased desire for sleep(especially during the day), larger appetite and weight gain. Back in the late '70's, Neal Owens was a petroleum salesman with an odd problem. "Every spring and summer," he remembers, "I was my company's top salesman. But come fall and winter, my sales fell to last place." Owens' boss accused him of goofing off each year around the holidays, but Owens insisted that he was not. "I just seemed to l
Carl's roommate also noticed his new eating habits. Carl would come home with either a sack of tacos or a whole pizza. He would eat every last morsel of food, then roll back the covers and watch TV until falling asleep. His roommate tried to get him outside; asking if he wanted to go play basketball or lift weights, but Carl always had an excuse not to go. All of these new habits were signs that there was something bothering Carl. His actions fit the definition of Seasonal Affection Disorder exactly. Owens belief that he had SAD was absolutely correct. His symptoms matched those found in the definition of SAD. Now that he knew the cause of his sales drought during the winter, his mind was at ease. Knowing the meaning of SAD was important because it helped the doctors diagnose Owens with the correct form of depression and helped them know how to treat his condition. ose my get up and go in winter." Owens thought that at first he was sick, so he went to see his doctor. His doctor ran many tests, but the results all came out normal. Owens wound up seeing a psychiatrist, who diagnosed depression, and prescribed various stimulants and antidepressants. They helped, but Owens still "felt out of it." Seasonal Affective Disorder is not as common as one might think. Many people who believe that they suffer from this depression are probably mistaken. Most people who have winter depression usually suffer from very mild forms of depression like the Holiday Blues or Cabin Fever. These mild cases are less severe and much easier to treat. It is important for doctors and psychiatrists to know what seasonal affective disorder is in order for them to know what to do for t
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Approximate Word count = 1136
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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