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It has long been known that light plays an
important role in the regulating of
a person's mood - especially in the
northern hemisphere.
It
has also been known for many years
that the amount of obtainable light
is the determining factor for the
emergence of a variety of the typical
depression. In the 1980s this rather
different form of depression was given
a name, "winter depression",
which in English is called Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD).
Winter
depression hits mainly women (80%)
and starts early in life. The more
towards the north you live the greater
the risk is for developing winter
depressions.
Symptoms
If you are susceptible to developing
winter depressions, you will begin
to feel some of the symptoms around
the autumn months:
- You will feel
down and be in a bad mood.
- You will get
tired more quickly and have less
energy than during the summer
months.
- Your sleep requirement
will increase.
- Your appetite
increases and you also have an
urge to eat a large amount of
carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice,
fruit etc. ) - and especially
sweet foods.
If
you are not treated for your winter
depression (for example if you don't
realize what is wrong with you), these
symptoms will continue until the spring
months, when more light is gradually
returning. This means that mentally
and socially you will function below
your optimal level for several months.
It
is therefore important that you go
to see your doctor if you have had
some of these symptoms for a couple
of weeks.
The
doctor will rule out any other reasons
for your tiredness and other symptoms,
and he will then start the appropriate
treatment. The treatment will differ
depending on whether you are suffering
from winter depression or "normal"
depression. It is therefore important
to distinguish between these two forms
of depression.
Light
treatment
Medicinal treatment of winter depression
has been attempted but contrary to
the ordinary depression, the results
have not been convincing. There is
however another very effective treatment
especially for winter depression:
light treatment.
Light
treatment is done with a special lamp,
which shines with a powerful white,
full-spectered light. The luminous
intensity in such a lamp must be at
least 2500 lux. The more powerful
the light is, the less time you need
to spend in front of the lamp. If
you for example buy a lamp with 2500
lux, you need to sit in front of it
for two hours to get the optimal effect.
If the lamp has a luminous intensity
of 5000 lux, you only need to sit
in front of the lamp for one hour.
Treatment
at home
The treatment therefore takes place
in your own home:
You
need to sit comfortably with the lamp
positioned approximately half a meter
from the chair.
You typically need between half and
hour and two hours at a time depending
of the intensity of the lamp.
The treatment should preferably be
given before 10 am or after 6 pm.
You must not wear sunglasses while
you are sitting in front of it.
You can read, write, talk on the phone,
knit or do other things while you
are sitting in front of the lamp.
But you need to look into the lamp
for a brief moment approximately once
a minute.
You typically need to use the lamp
for 2 weeks. If you start to feel
bad again during the course of the
autumn/winter, you can start using
the lamp again in this way.
There
are no risks associated with using
artificial light for the treatment
of winter depression.
To Get More
Information about any Diseases click
here
www.delhipsychiatricsociety.com
For more detials
Please Click here www.depnet.co.in
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