Do you feel sadder in the winter? Are you more tired and tend to socialize less? If you answered yes, you might be suffering from SAD.
Seasonal Affective Disorder otherwise known as SAD, is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons. It typically starts in the fall and early winter and ends in the spring and summer. SAD can also occur in the summer, but this is much less common than winter episodes.
While it is very common to have at most modest seasonal changes in mood and behavior in the general population, individuals with SAD are much more affected. Approximately half a million people in the United States suffer from SAD, while 10-20% may experience the milder winter blues.
The symptoms of SAD are the same as non-seasonal depression. Depressed people feel sad, down, hopeless or cranky most of the day, nearly every day for at least 2 weeks. They also no longer enjoy or care about doing the things they used to like to do. Depression can also make you forget things and feel confused, move and speak more slowly than
