It's not uncommon to feel slugglish, sleepy and like you want to go into hibernation during the winter months - but what if those slightly down days and 'depressing' mornings become more than that" Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is one of the most controversial diagnoses of our time, with many medical practitioners still continuing to believe it's just a case of feeling a little blue during the winter months. However, the number of suffers are continuing to increase and it's becoming a more commonly understood condition. According to Metal Health America, SAD affects half a million people between September and April, peaking between the months of December and February when light is at its lowest. Most of us are affected by the change in seasons and it's perfectly normal to feel to feel more energised when the sun is shining, but for many the winter months bring the onset of intolerable symptoms that have a huge impact on their daily lives.
Surprisingly, three out of four SAD sufferers are women and the onset of symptoms usually occur between the ages of 18 and 30. A diagnosis of SAD can technically be made after three consecutive winters of showcasing symptoms, if the summer months illustrate complete remission - but in the UK it's still incredibly hard to make that happen. (Our GPs are time poor and unfortunately don't have enough resource to treat each individual in the way they would often like.) Key symptoms of SAD include depression (misery, guilt,...