Treatment and Prevention
Physicians have many options for treating SAD. It is usually treated
with light therapy, exercise, and good nutrition, as well as antidepressants
(the serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs are most commonly used) in more
pronounced and severe cases.
Daily (professionally supervised) phototherapy with exposure to a specific
type of light (full-spectrum white light) can sometimes eliminate SAD quite
quickly. Phototherapy is a recent innovation in the treatment of SAD. Phototherapy
is delivered in a phototherapy device ("light box") that can be purchased
or rented on a monthly basis from a private supplier or in medical device stores.
People can read, but not sleep, for the several hours a day they receive light
therapy.
Symptoms should subside within a few days, but they may reappear if therapy
is stopped. Phototherapy should always be administered in consultation with
a physician, as there are some people who should not use it. Researchers are
also investigating the use of full-spectrum light bulbs to artificially extend
the hours of sunlight.
Exercise is very helpful, especially if it's aerobic and combined with light
- for example, walking outdoors on a bright winter day or exercising on a treadmill
in front of a light box.
Because many people with SAD gain weight, a healthy and low-fat diet is important
to help keep weight gain to a minimum. A diet that is high in protein and limits
the amount of carbohydrates (sweets and starches) may be helpful.