Somebody tell me about Serotonin

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Amalthea
joined 12 Nov 2006
500 posts

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Posted by Amalthea, 23:32 7 November 2007

I know this has been talked about before -- it might even be something you've all already told me. Please forgive my SAD brain, but...

I want to understand the role that serotonin plays in SAD.

Okay, so when sunlight passes through a person's eyes, a neurotransmitter called serotonin is released. In someone who has SAD, they're not getting enough serotonin, but instead have too much melatonin which has something to do with sleep.

So, how does a lack of serotonin manifest itself? What symptoms are clearly related to a lack of serotonin?

I understand, or at least I *think* I understand, that SSRI's do something or other that is supposed to help with your serotonin level -- presumably, increase it. I heard that the problem is that they increase it too much (?)

So, if they know the problem is a low-serotonin problem, why is it so difficult to medicate?

Does serotonin have anything to do with why I crave carbs, feel down and want to avoid social contact? Why I feel like I'm really no good at my job and everyone else is just humoring me?

Linda
joined 15 Dec 2004
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Posted by Linda, 06:41 8 November 2007

Low serotonin is a possibility in SAD. Unfortunately the fact of the matter is that no one understands all the factors involved or quite how they work. The most obvious problem simply seems to be the lack of sunlight; but the precise impact of this on the physiology is not well understood.

If SAD were a matter of simple lack of serotonin, then SSRIs should cure almost everybody. What we seem to find, though, is that people with SAD react to them much like the rest of the population: some feel they are helped, some feel no effect, and some feel worse on them. What's more, increasing the serotonin throughout your whole body, as these drugs do, also has unknown effects and is probably the source of many side effects. Only 5% of your serotonin is in your brain. Most of the rest is actually in your gut.

Does this help at all?

Piglet
joined 12 Oct 2006
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Posted by Piglet, 08:35 8 November 2007

Hi, it's something I know very little about so I can't help...I just wanted to pick up on your "everyone else is just humouring me", I soooo understand what you mean by that!

Amalthea
joined 12 Nov 2006
500 posts

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Posted by Amalthea, 11:03 8 November 2007

Thanks for your responses.

I really hope that somebody will figure out SAD... and how to treat it with more than just light therapy. I'm using my light but last night I just crashed -- slept 10 hours when I knew I ought to be doing housecleaning for when my parents come to visit this weekend.

I feel like I'm fighting this problem so that I can regain my life! In the wintertime, it's like I have no energy and no affect -- no deep emotional reaction. Everything's shallow and grey if I let it get that way -- even despite my efforts, really.

I should be glad for the social commitments I have, otherwise, I know I could just sleep this whole winter away... wake up to the sun in Spring-time.

I hate to sound so dramatic, but if SAD was something I could get a physical grip on, I'd beat the living daylights out of it. :P No pun intended.

Hadrian
joined 11 Sep 2007
140 posts

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Posted by Hadrian, 17:39 8 November 2007

I agree,the jury is still out on the true role that seratonin plays in SAD and other depressive illnesses.However,there is some evidence that suggests that lowered seratonin levels are one of the causes.Lack of sunlight means that the brain,namely hypothalumus/thalumus produces more malatonin-which inhibits and cancels out seratonin production.

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