Those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder know only too well its very real physical manifestations - symptoms include depression, lethargy and tiredness, anxiety, loss of libido, cravings for carbohydrates and sweet foods. The symptoms in their turn tend to produce a vicious cycle of negative effect. Cravings lead to weight gain and more depression. Lack of energy leads to sleeping late and not getting as much light in the morning, feeling sluggish leads to lack of motivation to exercise, no social interaction leads to feeling more down...And so on.

We now know that the great majority of the population experiences some seasonal changes in feelings of well-being and behaviors, such as energy, sleep, eating patterns, and mood, to a greater or lesser degree. The degree to which each person may be affected is unique to them. With some people it can have quite a minor effect, albeit frustrating and somewhat debilitating, whilst for others it can seem that they have two distinct personas - a summer and a winter personality.

In the UK it is estimated that 5% of the population suffer severely from SAD whilst a further two million people suffer to a lesser degree. There are no clear criteria for susceptibility to SAD. Traditionally light therapy or anti-depressants, or both, are the main methods of treatment, unless you are fortunate enough to be in a position to relocate to a place that has more hours of sunshine.

But there is another powerful method of treatment which is open to everyone...Your mind and body are intrinsically linked and you can learn to use your mind to direct your body to feel a whole lot better. Every thought and feeling that you have is reflected throughout your physiology.

Research has shown that your brain does not know the difference between a real and a vividly imagined experience. Brain imaging techniques show that mental practice expands that portion of the brain involved in carrying out the task in question. Therefore you can be taught how to use your imagination to control your physiological state. Visualization techniques are extremely effective in controlling your body and can be put to god use in the treatment of SAD.

Most people have no idea how to control how they feel and therefore allow external events to control their state. You can't control reality but you can control your representation of it and your reaction to it. Your thoughts create your emotions and your actions. And you can learn how to control your thoughts with the help of hypnosis downloads. There is little we can do about the weather itself - but we CAN alleviate the effect that it has on us. It is absolutely amazing how powerful your mind is, so long as you are open to possibilities. Your mind is like a parachute - both work best when open.

Hypnosis is both normal and natural, and whilst you are in hypnosis you have access to your subconscious mind - the part which knows just what to do and how to do it, the part which acts automatically and spontaneously. Whilst in hypnosis your mind is very open to visualizations and you have the ability to create a more powerful sensory experience. The more real the experience becomes in the subconscious mind during this state, the more effect it will have on what you wish to achieve.

You can learn to relax with the help of a hypnosis download designed to show you how to generate endorphins and feel their effect throughout your physiology, giving you a natural high; those same endorphins that your brain releases when the sun is shining. It's worth remembering as well that there is no downside to this approach, no side effects, and no withdrawal symptoms. What have you got to lose? In the worst case scenario you will feel exactly the same, and the upside is that you can learn to take control of your thoughts, feelings and actions, and ultimately you can feel fantastic all year round.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis downloads for health and well-being.