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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or winter depression, is a mood disorder related to the change in the seasons and lack of exposure to daylight. It affects 1 in 100 adults in western countries. SAD is a rare example of a psychiatric disorder with a clear, identifiable biological cause. The new edition of this award winning book brings together distinguished scientists and opinion leaders to discuss the current and anticipated developments in the study and care of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Highlighting the clinical diagnosis and management of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this book provides a valuable resource for all whom are involved in the health care for patients with SAD. This book deals with the range of therapeutic measures that are available for the treatment of SAD. In addition, this book elucidates potential areas of research that have emerged such as the study of the circadian pacemaker and the night-time sleep structure and their interaction that influences mood.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or winter depression, is a mood disorder related to the change in the seasons and lack of exposure to daylight. It affects 1 in 100 adults in western countries. SAD is a rare example of a psychiatric disorder with a clear, identifiable biological cause. This book presents an evidence-based review of our understanding of SAD, focusing on clinical aspects as well as research issues. After a short review of the history of the condition, the first part of the book is clinical in emphasis, covering the presentation of the condition and its symptoms, the epidemiology, and the various options for treatment. Part two shifts the focus to examine research into SAD, covering the range of hypotheses put forward to explain the cause of the condition, and reviewing the experimental evidence for each theory. This is a comprehensive and international review of a fascinating condition with contributions from opinion leaders in the field.

This book presents an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the subject. Steiner, Yonkers and Eriksson have brought together an international team of experts to produce a study ranging from cutting edge research to evidence-based clinical information relevant to the entire spectrum of female mood disorders, including the reproductive life cycle. Extensively referenced throughout, this landmark title is a major text for all clinicians and researchers involved in this dynamic field.

Seasonality’s link to mood has been noted since ancient times, but only recently has it gained broad scientific support. Key developments include the discovery that bright light suppresses melatonin, the identification of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as a distinct clinical syndrome, and evidence that light therapy effectively treats it. These advances connect the biology of SAD directly to its treatment and introduce an important new psychiatric modality.

"Updating and expanding upon his highly acclaimed Seasons of the Mind, Norman E. Rosenthal, director of light therapy studies at the National Institute of Mental Health, has written a veritable survivor's kit for anyone who suffers from the winter blues. The book describes the many dimensions of SAD and a variety of effective strategies: light-therapy treatment; antidepressant medications; three dietary regimens; and a self-test to help readers determine their own level of SAD. Including a comprehensive list of SAD resource centers, the book also discusses the use of light therapy for sleep disorders, jet lag, premenstrual syndrome, and shift work."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Do you feel depressed or lose interest in daily activities as winter arrives—and notice your mood improve in spring? You may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This workbook offers practical strategies to manage the “winter blues,” whether used alone, in individual or group CBT, or alongside light therapy. It explains possible causes of SAD, how symptoms develop, and provides step-by-step guidance that parallels a therapy program. You’ll learn techniques such as scheduling enjoyable activities, identifying unhelpful thoughts, and replacing them with more positive, realistic ones. Worksheets help you apply these skills in daily life. With these tools, you can reduce symptoms, prevent future episodes, and regain control of your mood rather than waiting for spring to feel better.

Jannik Götz develops a treatment concept for sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly known as winter depression. Unlike existing solutions that focus on medical remission only, the author aims at creating a user experience that is alleviating symptoms of this disease in a motivating and hassle-free way. By utilizing a variety of research techniques, the author gains valuable user-driven insights that are directly transformed into a novel approach to light therapy. The result is a light lamp that resolves shortcomings and issues of current treatment approaches. A business plan and its associated requirements complement the overall concept.

Soaking up the rays forges a new path for exploring Britain's fickle love of the light by investigating the beginnings of light therapy in the country from c. 1890-1940. Despite rapidly becoming a leading treatment for tuberculosis, rickets and other infections and skin diseases, light therapy was a contentious medical practice. Bodily exposure to light, whether for therapeutic or aesthetic ends, persists as a contested subject to this day: recommended to counter skin conditions as well as Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression; closely linked to notions of beauty, happiness and well-being, fuelling tourism abroad and the tanning industry at home; and yet with repeated health warnings that it is a dangerous carcinogen. By analysing archival photographs, illustrated medical texts, advertisements, lamps, and goggles and their visual representation of how light acted upon the body, Woloshyn assesses their complicated contribution to the founding of light therapy.