Severe Atypical Symptoms Without Depression in SAD: Effects of Bright Light Therapy

Letter to the Editor

Sir: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is characterized by
the recurrence of depressive episodes during specific seasons.
In most cases, the episodes begin in fall or winter and remit in
the following spring or summer. SAD patients typically fulfill
the diagnostic criteria for recurrent major depressive disorder
or type II bipolar affective disorder, according to the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition
(DSM-IV). Furthermore, the patients mostly suffer from atypical
symptoms such as hypersomnia, hyperphagia, and carbohydrate
craving along with consequent weight gain and fatigue.
Bright light therapy is a popular treatment strategy for SAD,
winter type.