Cognitive therapy better for seasonal affective disorder

With fall upon us and winter right around the corner, psychologists from the University of Vermont wanted to shed a few light on the best way to stop winter blues before they set in for the season. The symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorders include fatigue, appetite loss, oversleeping, dullness, anxiety, restlessness, weight loss, loss of interest in everything which used to excite patient earlier, Not able to concentrate on something, Not able to remember anything, forget things quickly and can not make any decision. Even after the researchers controlled for any other treatments the patients might have tried in the meantime, the difference between the CBT group and the light-therapy group remained. Two winters after the treatments, 46 percent of those who had received light therapy had a recurrence of depression, compared to just 27 percent of the cognitive-therapy subjects.

The benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy – a form of talk therapy – outlasted light therapy sessions for people suffering from SAD, according to a study published Thursday in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The study showed that, by the second winter, only 30 percent of light therapy subjects were still using the equipment.

“Light therapy is a palliative treatment, like blood pressure medication, that requires you to keep using the treatment for it to be effective”, said Rohan.

For the study, researchers tracked 177 people who suffer from major depression that follows a recurring seasonal pattern.

The new study conducted by Kelly Rohan, a psychology professor of the University of Vermont, tries to measure the effectiveness of bright light therapy over time, and based on the results, it may be more ideal for an acute SAD episode.

In the first winter after initial treatment, both groups had similar relief from symptoms of depression associated with SAD, the findings showed. You can manipulate the light in your environment by using light therapy, and that is an effective treatment. The light therapy group also had more severe symptoms.

However, a new study has found out thatcognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a better approach and acts as an effective treatment for the condition.

Cognitive-behavior therapy, by contrast, is a preventive treatment, Rohan said. “Adhering to the light therapy prescription upon waking for 30-60 minutes a day for up to five months in dark states can be burdensome”. Light therapy subjects were instructed to continue daily exposure at home until spring and were offered access to a light box again the next winter. Once SAD patients learn the basic skills, the therapy has long-term effects that give them a sense of control over their depressive symptoms.

By the second winter, almost 70% of light therapy subjects had given up on the light treatment.