Winter Blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder: What It Is and How to Overcome It [Paperback]

Norman Rosenthal (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1572303956 | ISBN-13: 978-1572303959 | Publication Date: October 5, 1998 | Edition: Revised

Completely updating and expanding his immensely popular guide, Norman E. Rosenthal has written a veritable survival kit for anyone who suffers from the winter blues. This authoritative and engaging book presents the very latest information on the many dimensions of SAD, including the newly recognized distinctions between various degrees of the disorder, from "winter blues" to full-blown SAD. The book features revised chapters on antidepressant medications and light therapy, a new chapter on coping with SAD all year round, details on St. John's wort and on a helpful nutritional regimen, a self-test to help readers evaluate their own level of SAD, and a list of SAD resources. Also discussed is the use of light therapy in treating problems whose symptoms mirror those of SAD, including jet lag, sleep disorders, premenstrual syndrome, and the effects of shift work. A concluding chapter illustrates how those with SAD can enjoy even the darkest of seasons.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When days get shorter and colder, do you get gloomier? Do you have trouble waking up? Controlling your diet? Focusing on work and relationships? If so, you may be one of the millions of people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD): changes in mood and behavior due to seasonal changes, such as feeling depressed in winter. Rosenthal, senior researcher at the National Institutes of Health and clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, led the team that first described SAD. Now in his revised and updated Winter Blues, he describes SAD and how to overcome it. The book includes a self-diagnosis to see how severely seasonal changes affect you (or your child).

Rosenthal, author of St. John's Wort: The Herbal Way to Feeling Good, brings SAD to life with profiles of seasonal-slump sufferers. All of these people experienced dramatic improvement with light therapy--exposure to a special light box for 30 to 90 minutes a day. Winter Blues tells you everything you need to know about light boxes and other treatments, such as psychotherapy, antidepressant medications, herbs, vitamins, and the role of diet and exercise. Rosenthal includes many helpful extras, such as tips for dealing with the holidays and a sample letter requesting insurance reimbursement for a light box. --Joan Price

From Scientific American

Probably the best book on SAD available for the lay person....Very well written; the case histories read...like short stories....Little sections on the history of seasonal time and how to decide whether to take medication or how to choose a therapist show much down-to-earth wisdom. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 355 pages
• Publisher: Guilford Press; Revised edition (October 5, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572303956
• ISBN-13: 978-1572303959
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #636,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Norman E. Rosenthal is a psychiatrist and scientist who in the 1980s first described winter depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and pioneered the use of light therapy for its treatment. Rosenthal was born and educated in South Africa and moved to the United States to complete his medical training. He established a private practice and spent 20 years as a researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) where he studied the disorders of mood, sleep, and biological rhythms. Rosenthal's research with SAD led him to write "Winter Blues" and two other books on the topic. More recently Rosenthal has written a book on the Transcendental Meditation technique and conducted research on its potential influence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In total, he has written seven books, including one on the topic of jet lag, and published 200 scholarly papers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting, well-written book, December 8, 1998

By 

Leo Sher, M.D. ([e-mail]) (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winter Blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder: What It Is and How to Overcome It (Paperback)

"Winter Blues" is a well-crafted book by Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, the creator of the contemporary concept of seasonal affective disorder and light therapy, one of the leaders in the field of mood disorders, and the author of numerous publications including "St. John's Wort: The Herbal Way to Feeling Good." The first edition of "Winter Blues" was published in 1993. In the past 5 years this book has become a classic reference for the thousands of people who experience seasonal changes in mood and behavior. The second edition is not merely a cosmetic update but an extensive revision of the first edition. The revised edition of "Winter Blues" provides the readers with the most up-to-date information on the research in the field and reflects new perspectives in appreciating how much we can do to overcome the effects of seasons. The chapter on new research demonstrates the vast accumulation of new information we have gained on the subject of seasonal affective disorder, seasonality, and light treatment. The author describes interesting scientific findings related to the neurobiological mechanisms of seasonality. Other chapters of this book provides the readers with useful information on how to overcome "winter blues" and related topics. I am impressed with the deepness of the author's description of the "holiday blues" and "anniversary reactions." This is a simply written, interesting book. It is a book I certainly recommend to everybody who is interested in natural sciences.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of Seasonal Affective Disorder, October 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Winter Blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder: What It Is and How to Overcome It (Paperback)

This book gives a comprehensive overview of Seasonal Affective Disorder, as well as milder versions like the "winter blues" which affect many people, some of whom don't realize it. The book is written primarily for the layperson, either those who think or know they have SAD or those who know someone who does. If you fall into one of those catagories, this book would be worth reading.

The book explains the research behind the discovery of SAD (Dr. Rosenthal was one of the researchers who defined the disorder)and explains the various means of treating the problem. The author also puts SAD into a historical and literary context. After reading it, those affected by SAD will not feel that they are alone in their tribulations. They are part of a large group, and one that can live relatively normal lives with treatment and a little advance planning.

The book also offers information on distinguishing SAD from depression or bipolarity, and points out that SAD can co-occur with other problems.

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A PATIENT'S PERSPECTIVE, January 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Winter Blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder: What It Is and How to Overcome It (Paperback)

This book was interesting to me as someone who has been diagnosed with seasonal affect disorder (SAD). However, I feel that the same information is restated and shown over and over again through different cases, making the book long if individual cases are not what you are looking for. I felt that the book was written in plain language, but was still geared towards psychologists and doctors. It did answer some of my questions about different types of light therapy and as someone who has lived in Scandinavia, I found his study of people who live in northern latitudes with regard to whether they are more immune to SAD particularly interesting. If you think you may have SAD, the book provides a test which doesn't tell you much, but would confirm the severity of your case by distiguishing it from "Winter Blues" and SAD. I think all psycologists/psychiatrists should have this book in their libraries and read about SAD so they can recognize it for what it is. If more people would acknowlege the disorder it would make it a lot easier on those of us who have it. And maybe the insurance company would get around to reimbursing me for my expensive light box instead of only wanting to pay for pills.