Association of Frequent Indoor UV Tanning With Seasonal Affective Disorder

Indoor tanning and poor mental health among adolescents in New York City (2015)

“…This study indicates that engaging in indoor tanning is associated with a number of mental health factors, including being bullied, experiencing sadness and hopelessness, seeking mental health counseling, suicide ideation, and attempting to commit suicide. These findings add to the literature indicating that indoor tanning may be associated with the suboptimal mental health (Gillen and Markey, 2012;Hillhouse et al, 2005;Mosher and Danoff-Burg, 2010). For example, this study indicates a strong association of bullying victimization with tanning behaviors, corroborating previous findings of positive association between indoor tanning and bullying victimization among adolescent males (Blashill and Traeger, 2013).…”

Addiction to Indoor Tanning

“…Similarly, prior research found a positive association between seasonal affective disorder and indoor tanning frequency. 22 In this study, however, anxiety symptoms predicted group classification (ie, affirmative vs negative mDSM-IV-TR and mCAGE responses), whereas depressive symptoms did not predict this classification. In addition, study participants with addictive tendencies (either affirmative mDSM-IV-TR or mCAGE responses) had levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms that did not significantly differ from those who were not addicted to indoor tanning.…”

Indoor Tanning Dependence in Young Adult Women

“…Our work extends this evidence by demonstrating indoor tanning dependence is associated with depressive symptoms in young adults in the community who are likely to be encountered in clinical settings other than college health centers. The strength of association was greater than studies reporting comorbidities associated with non-dependent tanning behavior and comparable to those reported for indoor tanning dependence (18, 20, 54). This evidence, in conjunction with research indicating indoor tanning can produce mood-enhancing effects (11, 14, 15), suggests a potential mechanism whereby young women experiencing depressed mood or other psychological distress may indoor tan because it alleviates such symptoms.…”