Depressed? How to Know if You’ve Got Seasonal Affective Disorder

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. There is a chill in the air and it's a bit harder to get out of bed for the day. As we head into the fall and winter, it's time to get on top of your mental health for the long months ahead.

Whether you're just missing that mid-summer feeling, or you fully have Seasonal Affective Disorder, the transition into the slower seasons is difficult! So today we are joined by the scientist who in the 1980s first described seasonal affective disorder, and pioneered the use of light therapy for its treatment.

Dr. Norman Rosenthal is a world-renowned psychiatrist, public speaker, and best-selling author who is known for his innovative research and inspirational writings. He is currently a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine and is listed as one of the Best Doctors in America. Dr. Rosenthal has practiced psychiatry for over three decades, treating people with all manner of psychiatric and emotional health issues. He is also a motivational speaker and a personal and professional coach, working with people from all walks of life including CEOs, top athletes, and performing artists.

Rosenthal was born and raised in South Africa and did his medical training at the University of Witwatersrand, where he graduated with high honors. He immigrated to the US and did his psychiatric residency at Columbia in NYC before going to the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where he began his research career in earnest. His first major research contribution was to describe and name Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and to develop light therapy as a treatment for this novel condition. SAD – and its milder variant, the Winter Blues – are now known to affect millions of people worldwide, many of whom have benefited from the light therapy that Dr. Rosenthal pioneered.