Diagnosing Seasonal Affective Disorder

Diagnosing SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Forum members do not have the medical testing facilities, or the expert medical knowledge to be able to diagnose you. If you think that you suffer from SAD, you should visit your doctor for the following reasons:

• A more serious illness and not SAD could be causing your symptoms.
• You could have both SAD and a more serious illness.
• Delaying treatment for more serious illnesses could be a risk for both you and for others.
• Doctors have testing facilities, and expert knowledge to rule out other illnesses.
• Doctors also have the knowledge to reveal an unsuitability of a particular treatment based on your full medical history.

When you visit your doctor with SAD like symptoms, you should expect the following:

• A conversation to identify your symptoms and their occurrences.
• A physical examination.
• Urine tests.
• Blood tests.
• Depending on the results of the first tests, either a referral for more specialist tests, or a referral to someone qualified in psychiatry.
• A final diagnosis.
• Details of the treatment options available for your diagnosed illness or illnesses.

The medical professional currently classifies SAD as a mood disorder (major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) with a seasonal pattern.

i self diagnosed bout 15 yrs ago i told my gp what i thought he gave me meds for depression a few years later changed my meds an i have never been offered or asked for any other tests as every gp i have seen do not seem to know or even want to know my SAD.

The tests are to eliminate physical illnesses such as anaemia, thyroid dysfunction, or other diseases. They should be standard when a patient complains of SAD like somatic symptoms, particularly the development of chronic fatigue.

Psychiatric illnesses (which SAD is classified as) are currently diagnosed using questionnaires, but only after the elimination of physical illness as the cause. It is not set in law, but it is part of the diagnostic procedure under both ICD-10 and DSM-IV-TR.

If you stay away from your doctor, but turn up saying that you’ve had the same cycle of recurring SAD symptoms for 2 or more years, then you have handed them your diagnosis on a plate, so it is hardly surprising that they don’t bother with any more tests. Perhaps a really good doctor would still run tests, to play it safe.

Common sense should dictate that the first occurrence of chronic fatigue is a very good reason to visit your doctor; but alas if the other SAD symptoms have kicked in too, then it is easier said than done.

Nearly forgot to add: the short diagnosis guide was devised because a number of people developing SAD like symptoms for the first time in the autumn, without an obvious trigger for depression, kept making ‘do I have SAD’ posts in the forum. An internet diagnosis from untrained people is dangerous, and should never be a replacement for a proper medical diagnosis.

Hi Diana

The address you seek in your other posts was:

Dr J Eagles, Ross Clinic, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Cornhill Road, Aberdeen, AB9 2ZF

The only other UK SAD clinic listed in recent years was:

Prof Ann Farmer, Bethlem Royal, Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BX

However, I have no idea of their current status, since other SAD clinics have ceased to be.

Jx