Winter depression

Some people, however, experience a more serious form of the winter blues. When depression and fatigue become debilitating, this could signal a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Symptoms of SAD include feelings of depression, lethargy, fatigue, cravings for sweets and carbohydrates, headaches, sleep problems, irritability and mood swings.

Seasonal affective disorder, which is thought to be caused by decreased sunlight during the winter months, commonly begins in young adulthood and is thought to be more prevalent in women. In Canada, 2 to 3 per cent of people are affected by the disorder.

Symptoms

Because it is a cyclical condition, the signs of SAD are present only during a particular season. In most cases, the symptoms of SAD appear only during the winter and/or late fall. (A more rare form of the condition is known as reverse SAD, which is characterized by hyperactivity during the summer.)

Many symptoms of SAD are similar to those of major depression. If you regularly experience these symptoms when the seasons change, you may have seasonal affective disorder:

- Sadness or despair

- Anxiety

- Lack of energy

- Withdrawal from friends and family

- Increased sleepiness and irritability

- Loss of interest in work and social activities once enjoyed, including sex

- Increased appetite and craving for foods high in sweets and carbohydrates

- Weight gain

- Difficulty concentrating and processing information

While most people experience "down days," health experts advise seeing your doctor if you feel depressed or sad for days at a time or if life seems to be losing its pleasure. This is particularly important if your sleep patterns and appetite have changed -- and certainly so if you think about death or suicide.