Seasonal Affective Disorder

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

As the name suggests, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition which generally causes depression during the dark winter months or dull days in the summer. Occasionally, these symptoms are reversed, and some people suffer from hypomania and anxiety over the summer months.
What causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder is generally considered to be caused by the lack of exposure to sunlight which is commonly experienced during winter months.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a condition which affects different people in different ways. Some of the symptoms sufferers may encounter are:

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Lack of energy
• Lack of sleep
• A craving for sugary or starchy foods
• Lack of libido

Who is affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Up to one in 20 people are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder. Women believed to be three times more likely than men to suffer and those aged 18-40 are most at risk.

However, sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder can come from a range of backgrounds. There is no particular group that is particularly vulnerable and it is worth noting that the condition can affect people who have perfectly normal mental health for the remainder of the year.

Unsurprisingly, people in Nordic countries are particularly prone to the condition, due to the lack of light during the dark winter months. Increasingly, more and more people across the rest of Europe are being diagnosed with the condition due to heightened awareness.

Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder can be treated in several ways. One of the most common treatments is light therapy through devices such as SAD light boxes.
In other cases, sufferers may be recommended a course of anti-depression medication or a combination of light and drugs in order to combat the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.