What Is SAD?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a seasonal mood disorder associated with the turn of the seasons, typically beginning in fall through early spring, that affects millions across the world.  Long before the advent of modern psychology, countless cultures through time have acknowledged mood difficulties adjusting to the changing of the seasons.

Why does seasonal affective disorder exists?  We can’t point to one reason, but SAD is a reactive disorder correlated with:

Disruption to people’s circadian rhythms, resulting in sleep disturbances and feelings of disorientation.
Effects on hormones and neurotransmitters, methods

Help for Treatment-Resistant Depression

One of the psychiatric treatments we offer at RHP is TMS.  TMS is transcranial magnetic stimulation, a non-invasive procedure where a magnetic coil is passed over the scalp, particularly the frontal cortex, to stimulate the parts of the brain that help govern mood, disposition, and sensory processing.  This treatment is usually done if other methods have not produced the desired results or have ceased working like they used to.

Major medical insurance carriers currently cover TMS for major depressive disorder (MDD), but not other disorders that may or

Diagnosing MDD

For the purposes of this article, when we refer to depression, we are referring to Major Depressive Disorder, or MDD.  Major depressive disorder is a multifaceted disorder and must be diagnosed by a medical professional to receive treatment that is covered by major medical insurance carriers.  What sort of criteria do doctors and mental health professionals use to diagnose MDD?

How MDD Is Diagnosed

Medical professionals have a variety of tests to run to help them determine if a person has MDD.  More factors are considered, but these are helpful metrics

How Do We Decide?

When we’re thinking about how many times you should receive TMS, much depends on:

How bad your major depressive disorder (MDD) is and how often your doctor says you should go.
What your MDD has and has not responded to already. If your MDD responds well to less frequent and/or aggressive treatment, there may be no need to change.
Comorbidities may also be a factor, such as anxiety or bipolar disorder.

Fortunately, most cases of MDD respond well to a regimen of therapy, medication, and social support, but in too many

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a diagnosable psychiatric disorder categorized as having low-mood, low-energy, overwhelming feelings of sadness and a loss of interest.

Not a lot is known about what causes MDD. But, it is known that it can be related to a lot of different factors. The reason it manifests in one person may not be the same reason it manifests in another. It could be because of a disruptive life event, an illness or drug and alcohol use. It could also because of a chemical imbalance in the brain.