Light and Mood

[Phidippus]

I'm thinking more and more on the impact of light on my mood and some of the changes my affect undergoes during certain seasons.

I can move from a dark room to a well lit room and experience an uplift in my mood. On sunny days I seem to get a little racy. I can be very depressed on darkened days and almost agitated on hot sunny days.

My family reports that I always fall into agitated states in the summer-as if I have a seasonal affective disorder. Something about light disposes my mood dramatically.

I feel I have a mood imbalance, but I'm almost always singing the blues. There my be periods of hypomania, but I can't put my finger on them-one thing is certain though, light can make me happy and sometimes a little overwhelmed.

With summer SAD, people often feel agitation, have loss of appetite,
insomnia and, in extreme cases, have increased suicidal fantasies-I experience these kinds of symptoms almost every summer. During most springs, my mood is as it should be. I am feeling more level every day we go into spring. When summer comes around I will become depressed and agitated and on three occassions became psychotically depressed. By October I feel a pleasurable melancholy that I like to nurture with Halloween and horror movies. In February, I'm feeling pretty normal.

Is it possible that my mood disorder is seasonal affective and light plays an important part?

I like how this possibility meshes with my Epilepsy. Of all the Epilepsies I studied, Occipital Lobe Epilepsy comes closest to describing mine (ictal headache, nausea, mistaken for migraine, photosensitivity). The occipital lobe is the main center of the visual system. If I have a mood disorder, a seasonal affective disorder would make a lot of sense.

Also, consider my diagnosis of psychotic major depression-Among the newer experimental treatments is the study of glucocorticoid antagonists, including mifepristone. These strategies may treat the underlying pathophysiology of PMD by correcting an overactive HPA axis. By competitively blocking certain neurologist-receptors, these medications render cortisol less able to directly act on the brain. Mifepristone seems to work in PMD by reducing cortisol levels.

Information about the light/dark cycle is transmitted from the retina to the paired suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the hypothalamus. The SCN sends information to other hypothalamic nuclei and the pineal gland to modulate body temperature and production of hormones such as cortisol and melatonin. It may be light is triggering my body to produce too much cortisol in the summer months and not enough in the winter. But just the right amount during the spring.

Light can make me seize and disposes me to euphoria and a type of mania. Lack of light can disorder my thoughts. From the retina, how is the light being processed so that it imbalances my mood?

[stilldancing_98]

Move to Washington State and see how many of us maniacs are out here. This is where the specialists live!

[stilldancing_98]

When the sun comes out here everybody acts up. When its been raining for a long time everybody gets grumpy. It's really funny.

[brain]

SAD aka Seasonal Affective Disorder is really a very
strange thing. And in some ways - it impacts people
who have all kinds of health problems - not just those
with Epilepsy.

Some people, when the light is at the least (less
sunlight), is when it's the worse; and to others,
it's vice versa - when the light is the greatest (more
sunlight).

There are people who have Epilepsy who seizes
more during the Winter Solace Period, then there
are those who seizes more during the Summer Solace
Period, then you have people who are in between
(Spring & Fall) when they seize the most. Others
they seize regardless of when it occurs.

--------------------------------

In addition; I must add, it is not unusual for people
with Epilepsy to also have mental health issues, in
fact, it has been so noted that a large volume of
those with Epilepsy studied in psychiatry, psychology,
and in neurology - have been found also to be bipolar.
(This does not mean every person who has Epilepsy
also have mental health problems.)

If you are experiencing these issues; you should discuss
this with your Neurologist or Epileptologist - whomever
is treating you for your Epilepsy. You do not need to
suffer through this.

Moreover, it is not uncommon for people with Epilepsy
to suffer from depression which can come from various
reasons - even from the medication itself; so in turn,
it would be strongly recommended as well, to discuss
and go over this with your Doctor.

---------------------------------

However, while I am not a Medical Doctor, but I do
wish to imply that it does not necessarily mean that
the issue implies that it is Epilepsy or Neurological;
it could be other health issues that can be causing
such problems, anywhere from diabetics to ???
and from this, it is generally a wise and good idea
to be examined by a Primary Care Physician thoroughly
as well; as we grow older and age, things do "pop up"
regardless of our "age", and it could be the trigger
altogether.

So there are many reasons from all different angles,
even from diet to allergies! Far too much to list and
post here on this thread alone!

--------------------------------

Whatever you do, please do not delay; pick up the
phone and set up an appointment and get down to
the bottom line and get to the core of everything
and get a brand new start on everything!

Here's wishing you to a better health and future!

[Bernard]

Here are some points of reference for you:

Ocular Light Therapy

Seizure Frequencies

Vitamin D

[Phidippus]

Wow! I thought Vitamin D was just helping my depressions! In fact, there was a period in which I wasn't on anticonvulsants, solely taking Vitamin D supplements and experiencing lessened seizure frequency.

[drarvindr]

Dear phidippus,
I feel that sharon is right. Your SAD can be associated with a myriad of conditions as well as epilepsy and maybe the 2 are unrelated.You should see a psychiatrist and maybe they'll recommend light therapy (get more sun , sleep with the lights on ...etc.) untill you can be weaned off slowly.
You should also inform your neurologist about this , as it is possible some of the anti-epileptic drugs you take could be causing this problem. You could also try alternative therapies. Whatever you decide , do it quickly and get it done with because it's best to get these issues sorted out. You don't have to "bear it with a patient shrug". Light travels from your retina to the occipital lobe. The perception of light does not cease when you sleep. Darkness sends signals to your brain that it's time to sleep. and vice versa. physiologically , your internal time clock uses light as a method of determining when to wake up and when to sleep. If you don't get enough light your clock gets messed up and cannot be set properly (like the damn VCR clocks) and your sleeping schedule can get out of hand. This in turn can aggravate your seizures . It is important for epileptics to get decent sleep as sleep deprivation can make it worse.

Hope i've been of help
Best of luck ,
Arvind