Best antidepressant for seasonal affective disorder

Two types of prescription medicines have been shown to help people cope with seasonal affective disorder. One option is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor , or SSRI. These prescription antidepressants work by boosting serotonin levels in the brain. Treatment for seasonal affective disorder may include light therapy , medications and psychotherapy.

If you have bipolar disorder , tell your doctor — this is critical to know when prescribing light therapy or an antidepressant. Both treatments can potentially trigger a manic episode.

The following list of medications are in some way related to, or used in the treatment of this condition. These drugs enhance the effect of serotonin, a type of neurotransmitter, and helps reduce the symptoms of depression. Many people don’t get enough sunlight in the winter months and use SAD lights to compensate for that. The antidepressant bupropion ( Wellbutrin and generic ) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for seasonal affective disorder.

Also, try getting active: Several studies show that doing 60. Three double-blin placebo-controlled trials have been conducted showing promising for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) sertraline and fluoxetine , as well as for moclobemide , a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A. Depressive episodes linked to the summer can occur, but are much less common than winter episodes of SAD. Traditional antidepressants are often used to treat seasonal depression.

Bupropion XL is currently the only medication that is FDA-approved specifically to prevent major depressive episodes in. It can be considered as a subset of major depressive disorder that is specific to a particular season of the year. Depression can have a recurrent seasonal pattern known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The most common pattern occurs in the fall or winter, and remits in the spring or summer. In all cases of depressive symptoms , a clinical diagnosis is necessary to determine what disorder is present, if there are any co-occurring disorders at work, and what is the best course of.

Patients who have severe symptoms of SAD may benefit from antidepressant medications used in treating clinical depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder. In general, doctors prescribe antidepressants for SAD treatment only after non-invasive treatments like lifestyle changes, psychotherapy and light therapy have failed. Types of Antidepressants for SAD Winter-onset SAD is seasonal affective disorder triggered during the. Here are expert-approved ways of coping.

Typically, light therapy involves sitting in the glow of a light box which emits a spectrum of light. Most Effective Light Therapy. An estimated of Americans slump into a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder , or SAD.

Millions more experience the “winter blues,” a milder form of seasonal depression. Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for SAD including light therapy, antidepressants, talk therapy, and self-care. You can customize it to your personal preference with low or high settings for light intensity.

This is the next-one treatment in this list of home remedies for seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Recognizing and visiting a doctor for seasonal affective disorder is not an easy thing for people with depression. Health experts have long suspected sun exposure. Gray skies for days, temperatures well below freezing, wind that blows right through you, snow storms, and limited sun exposure describe the harsh winters in New York City, where I live and work.