Winter-Blues
Winter is just around the corner, and you may not be aware of it, but there is a real disorder that many people experience during this time of the year. Many of us may informally call it the winter blues, though its official name is Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

SAD is a scientifically recognized form of depression, which usually occurs during the winter. What are the symptoms of SAD?

• If you feel depressed during the winter (chronically) and yet feel great during spring and summer, you might have SAD.
• You feel moody and grumpy.
• You experience a loss of interest in the usual things that you like doing. Let’s say you normally like playing games on Facebook and suddenly, you just don’t feel like doing it anymore. Of course, this may be due to other reasons but if the lack of interest spreads to other activities, then chances are you have SAD.
• You may lose weight. This is in relation to the above point – you lose interest in food, hence the weight loss.
• On the other hand, you may gain weight. This could also be due to lack of interest in moving and going about your daily activities.
• You just feel sleepy and sluggish for prolonged periods of time.

If you think about it, these symptoms are what depressed people feel – and that’s exactly what SAD is all about. The reason, experts say, is the lack of exposure to sunlight, which is what happens during winter. The solution? Medication, counseling, and sun lamps. If you can afford it, go to somewhere sunny during the winter months!

Photo courtesy of Organized Brain Clutter

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