Anybody know what S.A.D. is ?

Question

Question on mental health

Answer 1

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

SAD is a type of seasonal depression, usually occurring in the winter, which affects millions of people a year between September and April with the peak occurring in the winter months of December, January, and February. True SAD is a seriously disabling illness, preventing people from functioning normally. In addition, millions of others suffer from a milder version called "subsyndromal SAD" or "winter blues," less disabling but still impairing and uncomfortable. There is a more rare form of summer SAD in which symptoms occur in the summer and remit in the winter

Answer 2

It stands for seasonal adjustment disorder and is commonly known as "the winter Blues" because it leaves you feeling sad and miserable, and even depressed, in very serious cases. It has to do with the brain not producing enough "energy" - because you are not getting sufficient direct sunlight. It can be greatly helped by going outside several times a day even for a few minutes and catching whatever winter sun there is. It mostly afects people in the winter months when the days are short and skies are gloomy and block sunlight); it can also be corrected by using a special lamp once or twice a day - you sit before it and it produces light that is similar to that of the sun, by changing the ion charges in the air around you. You can be easily tested in a sleep clinic. In some countries these lamps will be "loaned" to you for a deposit, to help you cope as necessary. Even when you do use a lamp, you might still get to feeling fatigued by mid afternoon, and you may be frustrated that your thoughts become somewhat incoherent as the day wears on. Best not to plan too much for such periods so as not to increase the overall not-good feelings with aggravation and frustration at not achieving what you need to do. Despite the lamp, if you live in an area where skies are grey for long periods, you should try to get away at weekends to somewhere clearer and where the sun's light and warmth can be felt. A good soak once a week in NATURAL sunlight is like changing the Duracell ! Feel good (from someone who's dealt with SAD for decades already).

Answer 3

S.A.D. stands for seasonal associate disorder. Some people are sensitive to the change of season from summer to fall because there is less sunshine which effects the chemicals in your brain. The result is mild to severe depression. The farther north you live, the more people are affected by less sunshine. Special lights are made to treat this disorder which seems to help some people. A doctor may also perscribe anti-depressants.

Answer 4

Hi, S.A.D= Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is due to shortened daylight hours in the winter months. It has been found that the natural daylight helps in the production of vitamin K and endorphins/ Seratonin and that some people are very susceptable to its loss and find that they can pinpoint periods of depression over the winter solstice. Treatment is available with the purchase of light boxes, not cheap but as awareness increases they are getting cheaper. Hope this helps

Answer 5

seasonal affective disorder. if you have this, you get depressed (in the seasons) when it is darker and there is less sun light. a solution to this problem is sitting under a high power light for 10 minutes. strange but it seems to work! some sort of drugs could probably also be used. people in the north of the world are more likely to kill themselves because it is darker in the north, funnily enough. however, this doesnt mean all of those people have SAD. it may be that darkness depresses people generally.
hope that helps

Answer 6

Seasonal affective disorder. It's why people feel more lethargic and miserable in the winter, not enough exposure to bright sunlight.

People who work in large windowless buildings and shopping malls can have it all the year round. 12% of the population of Northern Europe have it to some extent.

It's been likened to a human form of near hibernation. I've mused about packing my husband away in newspaper in the airing cupboard in November and pulling him out again in March. Considerable savings on food, drink and toiletries.

Sufferers can buy a special light box to top up their sunlight requirements.http://www.outsidein.co.uk/sadinfo.htm

Answer 7

Seasonally Affective Disorder - the quality of light in the winter months affects peoples state of well-being. You can buy lamps that provide the right type of light or learn to live with the misery.

Chav Princess - you are so understanding

Answer 8

Its a name people have given to being pissed off in winter.

People need to get a life. I get really pissed off in winter as the days shorten and the rains comes for weeks at a time. It happens every year for 30 years. Why does it need a name or analysis. Of course people are going to get pissed off with the lack of light.

Why bother sticking a label to it ?

Before long, we'll be calling it a disability and have a law to protect people who have SAD against discrimination.

I have a bottomless pit of sympathy, empathy and help for people with real mental health issues. But SAD is just a fact of life and poeple who claim they have it need to get more busy, or go and see someone with real depression who cannot function at all because of thier mental illness.

Answer 9

s.a.d. is seasonal affective disorder . its when you grt depressed because of the lack of sunlight .you can get special light bulbs that help beat this . probably the best cure is to to move to a country where its sunny more days of the year

Answer 10

Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Full details from the Mind website:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+seasonal+affective+disorder.htm