At Southwest Spine and Pain Center in Utah, our pain management doctors understand that chronic pain can make other conditions worse, or can be made worse by other conditions. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD can be related to chronic pain conditions, just as depression can.
There are no true identified causes of SAD, but many experts believe that it is related to hormonal changes in the brain that occur at certain times of the year. It is thought that the lack of daylight in the winter time may also contribute, as the brain makes less serotonin, which is a chemical linked to regulation of mood.
SAD usually begins in young adulthood and is more common in women than men. There are some individuals who experience SAD that only have mild symptoms of irritability or feel...
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