SAD: Talk Therapy May Be More Affective Than Light Therapy

First Posted: Nov 11, 2015 05:05 PM EST

Days are continuously getting shorter and shorter as winter approaches, but for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a light therapy may not necessarily be the best approach for treating the problem.

To avert symptoms associated with the problem, ranging from depression to lower energy to feeling hopeless, agitated and more, a new study suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy may be the best treatment.

During the study, 177 participants underwent cognitive behavioral therapy and light therapy over a period of six weeks. Following the completion of the treatment, SAD patients had to check back with the researcher for the next two winters.

For the first winter, results of the therapies showed similar effects in averting depressive symptoms. However, by the second winter, cognitive behavioral therapy showed more promising results.

"The degree of improvement was substantial," said Kelly Rohan, lead author of the study and psychology professor at the University of Vermont.

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TagsHealth, Human, Sad, Seasonal Affective Disorder, therapy, Light, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Children, Sunlight, Exposure, New York City, Lenox Hospital, Psychiatry