What are the Signs and Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Many people go through short periods when they feel sad or unlike their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change, which is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer.

SAD is a type of depression characterized by a recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about 4−5 months out of the year. The signs and symptoms of SAD include those associated with depression as well as disorder-specific symptoms that differ for winter-pattern versus summer-pattern SAD. Not every person with SAD experiences all the symptoms though. Learn more about SAD from the National Institute of Mental Health here.