What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder Therapy And How Can It Help Me?

Many people prefer the spring and summer months to fall and wintertime, finding that they enjoy the warmer weather and the abundance of activities to participate in. While it’s natural to favor one season over another, a significant seasonal mood shift could indicate a person is experiencing seasonal affective disorder or SAD. Seasonal affective disorder can result in negative mood patterns and various physical and mental health symptoms associated with seasonal change. However, there are a variety of therapeutic interventions that may be effective in reducing SAD symptoms.

What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

Seasonal affective disorder is considered a depressive disorder, a category that contains major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, dysthymia, and other mood disorders. While SAD can have many symptoms with major depressive disorder, one major difference is that its symptoms are typically exclusive to certain times of the year. It is common for people with the disorder to experience symptoms in winter. Still, in rare cases, some may experience symptoms during the summer months (sometimes called summer depression, reverse SAD, or summer-onset SAD). 

In most cases of seasonal affective disorder, a person may feel just fine during spring and summer, but at some point during the fall or winter, they begin to feel hopeless and depressed. SAD symptoms typically recede as soon as spring or summer rolls around again, creating a cycle. 

In order for a mental health professional to diagnose seasonal affective disorder, a person needs to experience some of the following symptoms for a period of at least two years. Because of the cyclical nature of SAD, the symptoms do not need to be experienced continuously but rather for two full cycles of winter or whatever season seems to cause SAD. 

Seasonal affective disorder symptoms may include:

• Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or guilt
• A loss of interest in activities that usually bring joy
• Lower energy levels
• Withdrawing from friends, family, and loved ones
• Feeling tired, fatigued, or drowsy during the day
• Experiencing a change in appetite, such as eating too much or too little
• Negative thoughts and symptoms of anxiety
• Sleep pattern changes, such as insomnia or sleeping much more than usual
• Restlessness and an inability to concentrate
• Increased irritability 
• Decreased sex drive and libido
• Not taking care of oneself, particularly around personal hygiene
• Difficulties with memory, focus, and other areas of cognitive function
• Suicidal thoughts or actions*

*If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out for help immediately. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached at 988 and is available 24/7. 

Seasonal affective disorder therapy

Researchers believe that a key cause of seasonal affective disorder may be reduced exposure to sunlight, as the days naturally shorten during the transition from summer to fall and into winter. Lack of exposure to sunlight can disturb the body’s circadian rhythms, which are the internal processes that help control our sleep/wake cycles. When our circadian rhythms are altered, it can impact several bodily and brain functions, including the production of serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters in the brain that help control mood. Altered serotonin levels, in particular, have been linked to depression symptoms and depressive episodes. 

Light therapy may be an effective means of addressing this disturbance caused by a lack of sunlight exposure. With light therapy, which is also known as phototherapy, a person uses a light box or visor that emits a high level of bright light (though not bright enough to cause harm to your eyes). 

Light boxes specifically designed for relieving SAD symptoms emit a small amount of UV light at a safe level that won’t damage your skin but can appropriately mimic the light of the sun. Exposure to this kind of light through light therapy can balance out a person’s sleep/wake cycle and result in more controlled levels of serotonin and melatonin in the brain, typically resulting in a reduction of SAD symptoms.  

Using light therapy is as simple as turning the light box on and sitting in front of it for a brief period every day. Just 20 – 30 minutes of light box exposure may be enough to start reducing symptoms of SAD and prevent depressive episodes, with many people reporting a positive change in their mood in a matter of weeks or even days after starting light therapy. 

Light therapy has minimal risks and side effects*. For most people, the only risk is the possibility of disturbing their sleep pattern by using the light box in the afternoon or evening. To avoid this potential impact, plan to use your light box in the morning, perhaps while eating breakfast or reading the newspaper. Otherwise, light therapy can be much more convenient, less expensive, and have fewer side effects than other forms of treating seasonal affective disorder, such as the use of antidepressant medications. 

*Note: If you have bipolar disorder, talk to your doctor before using light therapy. Some evidence suggests that exposure to light therapy may increase the risk of triggering a manic episode. 

Finding support for seasonal affective disorder

The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder may feel overwhelming. Even if light therapy reduces your symptoms to some extent, you may find yourself continuing to experience lower levels of happiness and higher levels of stress during the winter months. In these cases, talk therapy may be beneficial. Talk therapy may also be helpful if you are experiencing symptoms of other mental health conditions in addition to SAD. 

Experiencing symptoms of depression such as decreased energy and withdrawal from others can make it difficult to leave the house to attend traditional in-person therapy appointments. If this is the case for you, you may want to consider participating in online therapy with a qualified provider. Online therapy can be done from the comfort of your own home through platforms like BetterHelp. You can even set up your SAD light box next to your computer during your therapy appointment so you can participate in talk therapy and light therapy at the same time. The flexibility and ease of online therapy may make it a more convenient option for you, depending on your needs and preferences as you receive care and treatment. 

The effectiveness of online therapy for depression

Research shows that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy when it comes to reducing symptoms of mental health conditions. One study found that participating in an online cognitive behavioral therapy program helped patients by decreasing symptoms of depressive disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an approach that teaches people how to recognize their negative thoughts and change them to into more helpful ones. This can improve their behavior over time and support more positive mental health. If you are experiencing symptoms of SAD, a combination of light therapy and online therapy may be an effective way to treat your condition and help you start to heal.  

Takeaway

Seasonal affective disorder can cause a person to dread fall or winter and lead to symptoms such as low energy, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and isolation from loved ones. However, there are several therapeutic techniques that have been demonstrated to help address the symptoms of SAD, including using a light box or getting talk therapy. Online talk therapy may be a helpful and convenient way for you to find support for seasonal affective disorder, particularly if you’d like to receive care from the comfort of your own home. Working alongside a therapist, you can establish an effective treatment plan, gain new coping skills, and move toward a happier, healthier life.