It is easy to understand why, this time of year, many are struck with a case of the winter blues. We leave for work before the sun comes up and head home in the dark barely glimpsing daylight. As the days get shorter and colder many find themselves dealing with sadness, increased appetite and excessive sleeping. What they may be experiencing is more than a case of the winter blues, but rather seasonal affected disorder, or SAD. Many of my clients suffer from this disorder and often they just expect it is a part of the season that will pass, but there are treatments that can alleviate or lessen the symptoms.

SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression and related to seasonal variations of light. SAD has been linked to melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the brain’s pineal gland. This hormone, which can cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. So, as the days become shorter, these effects are felt by an estimated 6% of Americans. Eighty percent of those who suffer from SAD are estimated to be women, though the reasons for increased depression in women are not yet understood.

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, SAD symptoms include: (more…)

None of you really want to hear my opinions on the general bailout package passed by the Senate last night, but I felt it my duty to inform you of the implications of the added section regarding mental health (since some of you are obviously crazy).

NAHU (National Association of Health Underwriters) sent me a good summary this morning, so I’ll give you some excerpts:

Modern Healthcare (10/2, DoBias) explains that the Senate measure “includes the already agreed upon mental-health parity language that passed the Senate as part of a tax-extenders package and the House as a stand-alone bill.” According to MedPage Today (10/2, Walker), an earlier mental health parity bill, passed by the House in March, “was dead on arrival in the Senate because of language that would have required insurance companies to give equal coverage to all mental illnesses outlined in the DSM [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders]. This was a far-reaching stipulation that made some conservatives squeamish,” according to Peter Newbould of the American Psychological Association’s Practice Organization. The new mental health parity language, included in the rescue plan, “removes any mention of the DSM.”

[…]

Meanwhile, the New York Times (10/1, A28) editorializes, “The bill is endorsed by President Bush, business groups, insurance companies, the medical community and mental health advocates. … But it requires a final shove because the measure is snarled in a broader legislative struggle over how to pay for tax revenues that would be reduced by this measure and others. Is there a statesman who can push this worthy parity legislation through to final passage before adjournment?

I’m not a mental health expert and I don’t even play one on TV, but “Mental Health Parity” is not something that I have always been an ardent supporter of.  It would be good for me, insurance companies, medical professionals, medical health advocates, etc.  I’m just not 100% sure that it’s good for patients.  This is most likely because I don’t believe that “medicine” is always the best approach to mental health problems, but if I talk any further I will begin to effectively display my ignorance on the matter.  I’m hoping to get some input from our “Behavioral Medicine” specialist.  If and when I do, I’ll post again or have him do so.

Recently, the New York Times posted an excellent article on non-drug approaches to treat insomnia http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/…. The article highlights recent experimental evidence that suggests that Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT) works as well or better than medications. They also provide a few handy tips on how to improve sleep.

CBT entails first learning about one’s sleep habits, including documenting times to bed, wake up times, sleep quality, use of medications, napping, daytime fatigue, the presence of stress, anxiety, and other factors. The treatment then teaches new ways to approach sleep, managing wake ups and difficulty falling asleep, incorporating relaxation techniques, and stress management. Research suggests that about 70 - 80% of patients who undergo CBT for Insomnia report sleeping better after treatment.

Behavioral Healthcare Associates, LLC has experienced clinicians who have training and research experience in providing Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia.

Clinical psychologists in Ashburn, VA