Those gray day moods

The winter is now in full gear and once again you feel lethargic, unmotivated, withdrawn from society and have difficulty concentrating. You feel as if you could stay in bed all day and at times feel hopeless about change.

Often, these feelings are written off as holiday stress. However, if you suffer the same symptoms year after year, you may have a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Seasonal Affective Disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer."

You may be suffering from SAD if...

•You have been depressed during the same season, and have gotten better when the season changes, for at least two consecutive years

•You have symptoms that align with SAD such as excessive hunger, weight gain and sleeping more than usual

•A close relative suffers from SAD

Like other types of depression, there are various treatments to combat SAD. One of the major forms of treatment that your physician may prescribe is phototherapy, also known as light therapy.

There are two types of light therapy: The first is bright light treatment. For this treatment, you sit in front of a "light box" for half an hour or longer, usually in the morning. The second is dawn simulation. For this treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise. This type of treatment works well for most people. It is the type of treatment that you must stick with throughout the entire season or depression can kick back in. Light therapy is highly recommended because, while no definitive cause has been found, many experts believe that SAD is caused by lack of sunlight. Lack of sunlight may disrupt your sleep-wake cycle, which can cause problems with serotonin levels, a brain chemical which effects mood. In some cases anti-depressants or counseling may be recommended by your physician.

Alternative healing is another approach you can take to help keep the symptoms under control. Mind-body therapies that may help relieve depression symptoms include acupuncture, yoga, meditation, guided imagery and massage therapy. Mind-body therapy is often accompanied by nutritional supplementation including but not limited to St. Johns wort, SAMe, melatonin and omega 3 fatty acids.

While these nutritional supplements are often recommended to help treat depression it is not clear how effective they are for treating SAD. Always consult your physician before adding any nutritional supplements to your diet, especially if other health conditions exist.

If you suffer from these seasonal symptoms, or know someone who does, do not feel as if they are feelings that you have to conquer on your own and do not brush them off as a case of the winter blues or holiday stress. It is best to find the necessary help to overcome these seasonal pitfalls.

For more information

The Mayo Clinic: www.mayoclinic.com

WebMD: www.webmd.com

The Cleveland Clinic: www.clevelandclinic.org