More Than Just The Winter Blues?

It’s Natural to Feel a Little Despondent When It’s Cold and Dark Outside, but for Some, the Problem Goes Deeper and Could Require Treatment

Most people experience a measure of winter gloom. Cabin fever, dark mornings and icy temperatures inevitably make us want to sleep and eat more, and less inclined to get out and socialise or exercise. Nevertheless, these shifts in mood and energy don’t usually impact our dayto-day lives too drastically. For some, however, the feeling of gloom descends into a type of clinical depression that ebbs and flows according to the seasons: seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

What is SAD?

The medical community’s been aware of SAD for over 150 years, but it only became recognised as a disorder in the 1980s. Even with its official diagnostic status, however, many still suffer in silence, unaware that they’re afflicted with a condition that could require treatment.