Thursday, October 9, 2008

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatments

There are many treatment options for depression and seasonal depression. Please never give up hope!

Counseling, herbs, amino acids, and of course anti-depressants when need be will help keep you out of the “hole”. Naturopathic treatments for depression often take time as they are addressing the whole person and the long term.

As a physician, I give every treatment plan three to six months to determine it’s efficacy. If you are not experiencing improvement you may want to consider other treatment options. Various counseling and therapy techniques are also available, if you find you are not making progress with your therapist, consider a new referral for a different type of therapy.

Remember that aside from physical and mental components, there is also a social component to seasonal depression. Much time spent inside, or repeatedly with the same people inside can contribute to a poor mood. Schedule weekly activities to get you out of the house and interacting with others.

If you live alone, the winter months can feel especially isolating. Find an elderly person that also lives alone to check in on, it will do you both a world of good.
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Disclaimer:

This website is intended for educational purposes only. Read our full disclaimer. Always work with your physician for proper care and supervision. Be safe, and never make any changes to your health without first consulting with your physician. The life threatening condition Serotonin Syndrome can occur from the "additive" effect of combining certain herbs, supplements, and pharmaceutical medications. Patients with bi-polar disorder may experience manic episodes from the use of natural medicines that have an anti-depressant like effect. Everyone with a mental health condition should be under the care of a licensed physician. If you are ever suicidal you must ask for help, call 911, or your local crisis hot-line. Have your physician check for drug interactions before implementing any new health regimes, and always be cautious when combining natural medicines and drugs for depression, bi-polar, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).