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Comorbidity and personality in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2007.12.134Get rights and content

Introduction

In unipolar and bipolar patients comorbidity with axis I and II disorders are well studied, but comorbidity in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is not well known. Patients with SAD maybe a different subtype of bipolar depression regarding atypical symptoms and personality.

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Methods

178 patients with SAD where recruited. Comorbid disorders were determined using structured interview (MINI). In a subgroup of 27 patients with SAD a short version of the MMPI, the NVM, was filled in to examine personality traits.

Results

In total 66.3% had al least one comorbid disorder. 53.9% had an anxiety disorder; 30.9% Agoraphobia, 19.1% Panic Disorder, 12.9% Social Phobia, 10.7% Generalized Anxiety Disorder, 4.5% Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and 1.1% Specific Phobia. 9% ADHD combined type, 9.6% Somatization Disorder, 5.6% Alcohol abuse/dependence, 6.1% drug abuse/dependence, and 2.2% Bulimia Disorder. 14.1% experienced at least one (hypo)manic episode.

Patients with SAD had higher scores on negativity, very high scores

Conclusion

Patients with SAD had high comorbidity rates with anxiety disorders, specifically agoraphobia. The experience of hypo manic episodes is low, but might be due to shortcomings in that section of the MINI. The high scores on the shyness scale might imply less social contacts. However, one of the symptoms of SAD includes feelings of social rejection.

Keywords: Seasonal Affective Disorder, Comorbidity

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