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Seasonal Affective Disorder: Signs and Symptoms

Often, people feel "blue" during the winter months. While it's common to feel a little low when the days become short and the weather is cold, severe depression and mood changes could be a sign of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

Symptoms of Winter-Onset SAD

There are two different types of seasonal affective disorder, and each has its own unique set of symptoms. The most well-known form of SAD is winter-onset SAD. The symptoms of this type of SAD generally appear every year as the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer.

People who have winter-onset SAD often crave more food, especially foods with high carbohydrate levels. Therefore, people with winter-onset SAD tend to gain weight. Also, winter-onset SAD sufferers may suffer from body aches. Here are some more symptoms of winter-onset SAD:

anxiety
difficulty concentrating
difficulty processing information
diminished sex drive
body aches, often with no apparent reason
feeling excessively tired
feelings of hopelessness
increased sleep
loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed.

Overall, winter-onset SAD sufferers feel depressed.

Symptoms of Summer-Onset SAD

Summer-onset seasonal affective disorder has a list of symptoms that are almost the opposite of winter-onset SAD. In general, people with summer-onset SAD will start to feel symptoms as the days grow sunnier and longer.

People with summer-onset SAD frequently lose their appetites and, therefore, often lose weight. They can be nervous and irritable and often have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. Sometimes their sex drives increase. They might have unexplained crying spells and they may also suffer from anxiety.

SAD: The Defining Symptom

The main thing that distinguishes all types of seasonal affective disorder is that the patient starts to exhibit symptoms at approximately the same time each year.

If you experience mood changes each year as the seasons change, talk to your doctor. He can determine the best course of treatment for the symptoms you experience.

Unusual SAD Symptoms

In both summer- and winter-onset seasonal affective disorder, the most severe symptoms can include thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts. Suicidal tendencies related to SAD, however, are unusual.

In some very unusual cases, people with SAD don't feel depressed at all. Instead, they might act manic, not unlike people who are in the so-called "up" phase of bipolar disorder. SAD sufferers exhibiting mania might talk excessively, socialize more than normal, be happy or enthusiastic in a way that's out of proportion to the situation or act hyper.

When people with SAD act manic, it can be hard for a physician to tell whether the person actually has SAD or bipolar disorder. This type of SAD is sometimes referred to as reverse SAD.

SAD Sufferers

Some people are more likely than others to experience seasonal affective disorder. In general, people are more likely to exhibit SAD symptoms if:

they are female (Interestingly, however, men with SAD often exhibit more serious symptoms than women who have SAD.)
they are over the age of 20
they live far away from the equator.

A family history of SAD also increases a person's risk of developing seasonal affective disorder.

Resources

Dryden-Edwards, Roxanne (2007). Seasonal Affective Disorder. Retrieved December 10, 2007, from the Medicine Net Web site: http://www.medicinenet.com/seasonal_affective_disorder_sad/

article.htm.

HealthScout Network (2001). Seasonal Affective Disorder. Retrieved December 9, 2007, from the HealthScout Network Web site: http://www.healthscout.com/ency/1/228/main.html#

CausesandRiskFactorsofSeasonalAffectiveDisorder.

Mayo Clinic Staff (2007). Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Retrieved December 9, 2007, from the Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/
DS0019.

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