Seasonal Depression Symptoms
- Seasonal depression is also called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
- Symptoms occur mostly in the winter months, but rare summer depression can occur early in summer through fall.
- Symptoms vary based on the season in which depression occurs.
Seasonal depression is a relatively common type of depression that most often occurs during the winter months but may also occur in the summer. Also called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonal depression symptoms most often begin in the fall and continue through the winter months making the individual suffering from the condition feel tired, gloomy, moody or otherwise unhappy. In rare cases, seasonal depression symptoms can begin in the late spring or early summer months and carry through to early fall, but this type of depression is far less common.
Winter Seasonal Depression Symptoms
Most of the time, symptoms of seasonal depression or SAD appear in the late fall and continue throughout the winter months. The symptoms of winter depression include:
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Sadness
- Anxiety
- Moodiness
- gloom & doom attitude
- hopelessness
- fatigue
- general feeling as if you cannot get enough sleep
- weight gain
- trouble concentrating or focusing
- cravings for particular foods such as sweets, carbohydrates or fatty foods
Summer Seasonal Depression Symptoms
Seasonal depression symptoms can be overwhelming for many people.
Although a less common type of seasonal depression, summer depression does occur and can lead to a slightly different subset of symptoms than winter depression. SAD that appears during the summer months may include any of the following symptoms:
- anxiety
- difficulty sleeping or insomnia
- weight loss
- lack of appetite
- irritability or agitation
Recognizing Seasonal Depression
When is depression just a one-off feeling and when is it a real problem? If you feel down and out, or you have signs of seasonal depression that seem to stick around for more than a couple of days, you may be suffering from a serious condition that requires professional treatment. Consider consulting with a doctor, psychotherapist or treatment professional if seasonal depression has you feeling down for days on end, missing activities that you normally enjoy, or feeling particularly off. Seasonal depression symptoms can continue for weeks or even months at a time and, if left untreated, could cause you to have suicidal thoughts or actions that pose serious threats to your well-being. Contact a professional for help if you feel hopeless, alone or otherwise depressed no matter what time of the year it is.
