Goodbye September, hello October! When you see this does this make you: happy, sad or SAD? We all get sad sometimes, but almost 30 years ago researchers discovered that some people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. SAD usually effects those in the late fall and winter and one theory is the absence of natural sunlight as a contributing factor to this type of depression. Other symptoms are weight gain, lack of energy, and feelings of hopelessness.
Well, this is certainly an uplifting topic for the Corner, now isn’t it? Why would a blog devoted to sustainability use cyberspace to discuss SAD? One reason is that folks who believe they suffer from SAD try to counter the effects via light therapy. The Corner cannot emphasize enough that if you believe you may suffer from symptoms associated with SAD, you MUST see your doctor for a proper diagnosis. The old saying that the person who acts as their own physician has a fool for a patient has a lot of truth to it. Please see a professional health care provider before you engage in any light (or other) therapy. And I know many of you are so enthusiastic about saving energy that you may be exposing yourself to too little light, and will attempt to correct your “blues” by purchasing lights. Well, don’t go there, okay! While researching this piece, I saw at Google many advertisements for lights and lighting systems.
The wonderful University of Rochester Medical Center has terrific information. Stop by at: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/Encyclopedia/Content.aspx?ContentTypeID=85&ContentID=P00755 . It’s a great way to begin your quest for good mental health. If you or a loved one are suffering with SAD, get the right help you need. After all in Western New York winters are kind of long. Don’t sleep thorough it. And while it is okay to be occassionally sad about it, don’t be SAD about it.
