What Do You Know About Seasonal Affective Disorder Symptoms?
Do you find yourself feeling sadder as the seasons change? Do you feel like your mental health isn’t as strong in the fall and winter? Or how about the spring and summer? You may just chalk it up to losing or gaining sunlight and the shorter or longer days. But there is actually a better reason for feeling sad symptoms at that time of year. It’s called seasonal affective disorder.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a major depressive disorder that can cause moodiness and depression. The change in sunlight takes a toll on your mental health, and SAD may really kick in during the winter months. SAD is more common than you may think, and SAD is a type of depression that is widely recognized.
Does this sound like something you or someone you know may be suffering from? Just how much do you know about seasonal affective disorder symptoms? Take this quiz to find out.
Seasonal Affective Disorder Symptoms
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a major depressive disorder that causes the draining of energy and mental health. Also categorized as the "winter blues," the winter months and less sunlight can cause major depression for certain people. Most often, it takes place during the winter months. But there is also summer depression that kicks in during the spring and summer months.
SAD symptoms may include feeling sad, loss of interest, weight gain, mood changes, weight loss, suicidal thoughts, and more. Different symptoms of SAD can correlate to fall and winter SAD or spring and summer SAD. There are ways to treat SAD, and the symptoms may not occur every day.
Seasonal affective disorder causes people with SAD to deal with symptoms, but they don't have to deal with them on their own. There is plenty of information, some by the American Psychiatric Association and some by the National Institute of Mental Health, that can help people cope with the disorder.
