While seasonal affective disorder can strike during any time of year, it most commonly impacts a person’s mood dramatically during the colder months. Montare Behavioral Health of Tucson created a seasonal affective disorder treatment program that helps people learn to manage their symptoms.
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What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression. It usually occurs during specific seasons of the year, beginning and ending at about the same time each year. The majority of people with seasonal affective disorder experience it during the fall and winter months. The arrival of cooler weather and shorter days brings on the annual onset of the illness. The individual will feel depressed and unable to bolster their moods on their own. For others, the seasonal affective disorder period begins during spring or early summer and ends around the beginning of fall or winter.
A person who has this mental health disorder cannot make it go away on its own, nor should they dismiss it as just the winter blues. Seeking help from a seasonal affective disorder treatment center can help them learn to manage their symptoms and enjoy better mental health during the troubling periods of the year.
How is Seasonal Affective Disorder Treated?
Seasonal affective disorder treatment employs a few different tactics to help reduce and eliminate certain symptoms. First, someone with seasonal affective disorder will attend different types of mental health therapy. A formal treatment program typically offers a multi-disciplinary approach that includes therapies that address seasonal affective disorder specifically, but also other illnesses such as anxiety and depression. This is because the symptoms of all of these conditions are similar.
Another type of treatment is the use of light therapy. Some people get a real boost from using light therapy boxes, which are also called sun lamps. They mimic natural sunlight and help boost a person’s melatonin and serotonin levels.
Finally, many people find their seasonal affective disorder symptoms become minimized when they use the right medication. Something to remember is that if a person also has bipolar disorder, they should tell their healthcare provider. The reason is that using light therapy or taking antidepressants can potentially trigger a manic episode.
What Happens During Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder?
When someone begins seasonal affective disorder treatment, they will receive a thorough evaluation of their mental health. This helps the clinical staff understand exactly how this mental health disorder affects the person and what treatment goals they want to establish. If any other mental health disorders are present, a plan can be made for treating everything at the same time.
Next, the individual begins attending a series of therapy sessions. These include both individual counseling and group therapy. We offer a menu of effective therapies as part of our seasonal affective disorder treatment. Types of therapy we provide include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Family therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
Once we assess a new patient, we will know which combination of therapies can help provide them with the best ability to make real progress.
The Benefits of Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment
Our experienced staff of mental health experts understands how difficult having seasonal affective disorder can be. They provide a friendly voice and a safe place to discuss a person’s emotions, experiences, and fears. We teach people to become empowered and not assume that each time of year that seasonal affective disorder occurs will be hopeless and terribly difficult to navigate.
Our staff includes physicians who will evaluate each individual to see if prescription medications can help alleviate their symptoms. Because we are a residential facility, our staff can closely monitor each person to see what effect the medications have on them and if any changes in dosage or type of drugs are needed.
Begin Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder in Tucson, Arizona
SAD is an appropriate acronym for seasonal affective disorder because of how it negatively affects a person’s ability to feel happy. If you deal with this mental health disorder, we can provide effective help that keeps you from dreading certain times of the year. Montare Behavioral Health of Tucson offers seasonal affective disorder treatment in our residential facility. Our skilled therapists provide a multi-disciplinary approach to managing the symptoms of SAD. We also offer a range of prescription medications that can help ease feelings of depression and anxiety.
For more information about our seasonal affective disorder treatment plan, contact us now. We can help you stop dreading winter and feel better about your mental health.
