Glamour: When should one be concerned?

SL: Any episode of mental illness is very serious and should create concern. Mood disorders bring great suffering, they impact functioning in a very significant way, and they are potentially fatal. Bipolar disorder and suicide are strongly linked, particularly in the depressive phase. As soon as symptoms look like they are overwhelming the capacity of the person and their support system to cope, emergency medical treatment must be sought. In some instances, hospitalisation may be required. What we are talking about here is not just "winter blues" or "spring fever". We are talking about very serious medical conditions, and once the two weeks for diagnosing a depression episode or the one week for diagnosing a mania have passed, then medical treatment must be sought urgently. There is very definitely cause for concern once a disorder of the mind has been diagnosed clinically.

Glamour: What type of help or support is available?

SL: It would be my suggestion that any individual who suffers from a mental disorder with seasonal patterns should have a treating doctor (a psychiatrist), a psychotherapist or counsellor, and a professional person who is able to offer light therapy if the doctor deems it necessary. If you don't have any of these available to you, please contact the Netcare Akeso helpline on 086 143 5787 or info@akeso.co.za and they will refer you. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) are also available to assist on 0800 205 026 or 011 234 4837 or visit www.sadag.org for further contact information.

Glamour: Can it worsen if not attended to?

SL: Yes, it can as this is usually part of a larger disorder and it is important to know that mood disorders, like all disorders of the brain and nervous system, are serious, chronic, and potentially fatal.

Glamour: Please add any information you may deem necessary?

SL: An interesting point to make might be to share that researchers can show how our brains would have developed this sensitivity to seasonal change as a survival mechanism during our evolution. So, what started out as adaptation to ensure the human species could cope with and live through extreme changes in weather and light, later became disorders in certain vulnerable individuals. The causation is definitely in the brain, and it is not a matter of ‘seeking attention’, ‘copping out’, ‘acting out’ or ‘making it up’. People who fail to realise how serious these mental health difficulties are, sometimes say misguided things like ‘pull yourself together, other people are coping with this’, however that is a very dangerous message to someone with a mental disorder.

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