Seasonal Affective Disorder: Can Medications Help?

As we move into Fall you may begin to notice that your mood shifts, your energy decreases and you are feeling less and less like yourself. You may even want to stay home more and do less of the things you used to enjoy. While your routine will begin to change a bit with the seasons, feeling like a completely different person may be an indication of something more.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of mood disorder that follows a seasonal pattern. Many experience these symptoms as we move from summer to fall, however, there are some that experience these symptoms as we move into summer. If you notice a shift in the way you feel as the seasons change, you aren’t alone. Many find that a combination of therapy and psychiatric medication management eases this transition.

Is It Seasonal Affective Disorder?

SAD is thought to be linked to changes in sleep, serotonin levels and even melatonin production. All of these changes can happen as the seasons change. Symptoms often include:

  • Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
  • Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Fatigue and oversleeping
  • Increased appetite or weight gain (especially craving carbohydrates)
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Desire to isolate
  • Anxiety

If you find that your symptoms are significantly impacting your functioning, psychiatric medications may help restore balance and even help you begin to enjoy the changing seasons.

The Role Medications Can Play

Many find that combining psychotropic medications with therapy leads to better outcomes. Proper medication management can help to:

  • Improve mood
  • Increase energy
  • Decrease irritability
  • Help you to better manage anxiety
  • Improve concentration
  • Treat anhedonia (loss of joy)

Like any intervention, no medication is a cure all. When combined with healthy lifestyle changes and therapy you can begin to see the most benefit. Seasonal Affective Disorder can dysregulate your brain chemistry making medication management a powerful intervention in treating it.

Feeling Yourself Year Round

If you find that you just aren’t yourself when the seasons change, you don’t have to wait it out. You can start to enjoy the seasons changing, you aren’t powerless over your symptoms. SAD is treatable. You deserve to feel better, your mental health matters.

Carolina Counseling Services in Sanford, North Carolina Contracts with skilled licensed psychiatric professionals as well as licensed therapists. Together you can create a comprehensive treatment plan geared toward meeting your unique needs. You aren’t alone, Call CCS today to schedule your first appointment!

Providers are in network with most major insurances including Aetna, Aetna State Health Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), Tricare, Medicaid and many more!

Jaime Johnson Fitzpatrick LCMHCS, LCAS is one of the Owners and Vice Presidents of Carolina Counseling Services. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist in the State of North Carolina as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in State of New York. Jaime is also certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and utilizes various other approaches in her practice.