Psychotherapy may be a better remedy for people with seasonal affective disorder than light therapy, a new study suggests.
Researchers in British Columbia estimate about two per cent of Canadians suffer from SAD, a form of depression that occurs during the darker, colder months.
Like many mental illnesses, SAD can be treated and managed by various methods, including light therapy, medication and cognitive behaviour therapy. Those with less severe cases can often find some relief through regular exercise and outdoor activity.
In the September issue of the journal Behavior Therapy, Kelly Rohan, a psychologist at the University of Vermont, and her colleagues compared the treatments in 69 people with SAD randomly assigned to receive light therapy, psychotherapy, both or nothing.
Six weeks after treatment started, 80 per cent of those receiving combination therapy were in remission, compared to 50 per cent for cognitive behaviour therapy and the same for light therapy. About 20 per cent of those in the control group experienced remission.
