If you notice periods of depression that accompany the seasonal changes during a calendar year, you may suffer from something called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The condition is marked by recurrent depressive periods, manifesting in late fall and early winter, alternating with periods of normal or high mood through the remainder of the year.

The majority of people with seasonal affective disorder are women, with the first signs of illness displaying when the patient is in her early to mid-twenties. It is possible for men to report that they are experiencing symptoms of seasonal affective disorder that are similar in severity to their female counterparts. Children and adolescents may also display symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, but it is thought that younger patients manifesting symptoms of SAD are more likely to have one close relative with a psychiatric condition.

What are the patterns of seasonal affective disorder?

The symptoms of winter seasonal affective disorder typically appear in October and diminish as the calendar approaches either March or April. The possibility exists for some patients to remain healthy well into the month of December, hitting their own downward spiral as late as the dawn of the New Year. No matter when the onset, the majority of patients do not feel completely like themselves until such early May. This may all sound rather hopeless, but the depression is often mild to moderate and few patients have required hospitalization. It is even more rare for a case that does require hospitalization to reach a “point of no return” requiring ECT (electroconvulsive therapy).

The usual symptoms of winter seasonal affective disorder include:

1. Oversleeping.
2. Daytime fatigue.
3. Weight gain.
4. Carbohydrate craving.
5. Decreased sex drive.
6. Hopelessness.
7. Social withdrawal.
8. Lethargy.

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The traditional family may be going the way of men in fedoras, women in pearls and a time when children were seen but seldom heard.

Within the last twenty-five to thirty years, a time many of our readers can still vividly recall, the typical American family was composed of a mother; a father and a minimum of two children. Divorce rates were

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“Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.” – Audrey Hepburn

There is no individual woman in the world untouched by joy, heartbreak, illness, age or the warped views of society. Everything that we have known as women has shaped who we are, and it has left so many of us dissatisfied with who we are as women. Entire generations

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If you notice periods of depression that accompany the seasonal changes during a calendar year, you may suffer from something called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The condition is marked by recurrent depressive periods, manifesting in late fall and early winter, alternating with periods of normal or high mood through the remainder of the

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Most of us have moments of sadness when we feel lonely or depressed. These feelings are usually normal ones that sometimes take place in life. They can be the result of a loss, having a particularly challenging experience, or a reaction to a hurtful remark. When feelings of sadness and being unable to cope overwhelm the person, so much so that

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"Be a Man". The traditional ideal involves a lot, from when little boys on the verge of tears are told to "suck it up and be a man", to adulthood, when it's a given that a man ‘takes care of his own’ (which may also include his~n~hers elderly parents).

There are bills to be paid, necessities of life to be purchased, lawns to be mowed, and

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“Mortimer Brew…” – Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace

It’s completely possible for even a partial line in a theatrical production to give away the temperament of a character. That idea is illustrated in the first few scenes of Arsenic and Old Lace, when the tightly wound Mortimer Brewster attempted to keep his impending

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I had to listen to a mix tape of “I don’t have one” and “I just may be dying” today.

There wasn’t an actual tape that I was listening to, but there was a mother claiming that her sniffles were both “nothing” and the “end of the world” over a span of several hours. It was like having a living/breathing Google session in my

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Erectile dysfunction occurs when a man can no longer get or maintain an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. Having erection trouble periodically is not necessarily a concern, but ongoing problems must be medically reviewed. Patient failure to talk to a doctor about erectile dysfunction can lead to anxiety, relationship problems and

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Stress: The physical or mental pressure, pull or other force exerted on one thing by another; strain.

In case you have not heard, MD247 wanted to remind you that April is National Stress Awareness Month.

A measured amount of stress can be good in life, in that it provides a jolt of energy and keeps us aware of the things going on around us. However, even though stress is a daily occurrence, it remains important to keep it in check. When left to its own devices, stress can exacerbate health conditions ranging from heart disease to depression and anxiety. Stress even has the ability to worsen ulcers.

Fortunately, your friends at telemedicine provider MD247.COM have brought you a list of ways to bust stress.

• Garden - Providing care is extremely stressful, but a 2008 survey showed that gardening may help to reduce stress.
• Laugh - The Mayo Clinic reported on a review that laughter also promotes endorphin release in the brain and relaxes the muscles.
• Sound - Are you a music lover? If so, stress-relieving exercises that focus on your auditory sense may work particularly well.
• Physical Activity - If you tend to shut down when you’re under stress, activities that get you moving may be helpful.
• Read – Just six minutes of reading is enough to help you beat stress, the Telegraph reported.
• Call Mom - Even if she's not there in person, a call to mom can help lower stress.
• Bring Your Dog to Work - A recent study in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management showed that bringing your dog to work could help to lower office stress and boost employee satisfaction.

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Depression is considered the common cold of mental disorders; most people will be affected by depression in their lives either directly or indirectly, most often by a friend or a member of the family. Confusion is commonplace about what depression exactly is, and what makes it different from just feeling down. Confusion also surrounds the many

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