It's All Very Sad But There Is Plenty Of Help Available

It’s easy to say ‘It’s that time of the year again’ or to blame the weather for feeling depressed and miserable. But there is a recognised illness out there that may require treatment. Aptly, it is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder) as Terry Redhead explains.

- Terry Redhead

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern.

SAD is sometimes known as ‘winter depression’ because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter.

Symptoms of SAD can include: a persistent low mood, a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities, irritability, feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness, feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day, sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning, and craving carbohydrates and gaining weight.

For some people, these symptoms can be severe and have a significant impact on their day-to-day activities.

You should consider seeing your GP if you think you might have SAD and you’re struggling to cope.

Your GP can carry out an assessment to check your mental health. They may ask you about your mood, lifestyle, eating habits and sleeping patterns, plus any seasonal changes in your thoughts and behaviour.

The exact cause of SAD isn’t fully understood, but it’s often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days.

The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the following:

Production of melatonin – melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher than normal levels.