Seasonal Affective Disorder

Winter is coming, but for those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder it’s not a festive season.

WINTER DEPRESSION, SEASONAL depression, the winter blues… the number of names alone that we have to describe seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is just one indicator of how deeply the down side of winter can affect us. What is already a least-favourite season for some is increasingly being recognized as a potential trigger for regularly recurring depression in some people.

SYMPTOMS OF SAD: WINTER AND SUMMER PATTERNS SAD carries many of the same symptoms as major depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health in the US, season-specific symptoms can include the following:

Winter

• low energy

• hypersomnia

• overeating

• weight gain

• carbohydrate cravings

• social withdrawal (hibernation)