Take the Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Quiz
If you notice periods of depression that seem to accompany seasonal changes during the year, you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This condition is characterized by recurrent episodes of depression alternating with periods of normal or high mood the rest of the year.
People with seasonal affective disorder feel sad only during the winter.
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People with SAD experience depression during a particular season of the year. Most people with SAD are depressed during the fall and winter months. For others, SAD occurs during the spring and summer. This form is sometimes called reverse SAD or summer SAD.
Women and teens are more likely to develop SAD than others.
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Although SAD can affect anyone, women, adolescents, and young adults seem to be more susceptible. Older adults are less likely to develop it. SAD sufferers also tend to have a family member with mental illness, such as depression or alcohol abuse.
SAD can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms mimic those of other illnesses.
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The symptoms of SAD can be confused with symptoms of other illnesses, including hypothyroidism and viral infections such as mononucleosis.
The hormone estrogen may play a role in SAD.
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Varying levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are believed to play a role in SAD. The sleep hormone melatonin, which has been linked to depression, also may play a role. The body makes more melatonin in the dark. So, the shorter, grayer days of winter boost levels of melatonin.
SAD is more common in northern regions.
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Overcast days also make a person with SAD feel worse.
Symptoms of summer SAD include weight loss, difficulty sleeping and poor appetite.
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For those with winter SAD, symptoms include feeling "blue" during the fall and winter, a craving for sugary or starchy foods, weight gain, and oversleeping.
A good way to combat winter SAD is to get outdoors every day.
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Getting outdoors regularly. You can also rearrange your furniture indoors during the fall and winter to take advantage of as much sunlight through windows as possible.
For more severe cases of SAD, a doctor or therapist may prescribe "light therapy."
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Light therapy involves the use of a full-spectrum fluorescent light for a certain amount of time, usually in the morning. Medications, particularly antidepressants, are also available. Treatment is started in the fall, before symptoms begin, and tapered off in the spring.
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