Something strange happens during the winter. You feel blue, gloomy and empty inside. Life looses its meaningfulness and charm uphill spring arrives, when the sun is brightly shining. You might be suffering with Seasonal Affective Disorder or more popularly known as SAD.
SAD is internationally recognized phenomenon that affects people all over the globe. It is a type of depression; the individual suffering from it may exhibit one or all of the following symptoms
Pessimism
Increase in sleep and appetite
Weight gain
Feeling tired or fatigued all the time
Lack of interest in daily activities and social life
A research shows that usually people already going through some form of depression usually suffer from SAD.
SAD can also have a reverse seasonal pattern i.e. some people show these symptoms during summers. It is known to be caused when time and amount of two mood influencing chemicals, serotonin or melatonin, produced by our brains is somehow altered. Other than moods these chemicals also influence our sleep duration and wake up timings. The production of these two chemicals is also a direct function of the amount of sunlight.
Vigorous research is put into why some people are prone to SAD while others are not. The results indicate that as with all other forms of depression and other illnesses, the sensitive people are more likely to fall prey to SAD. Also if both or one of the parents have a SAD history, the child is more likely to catch SAD compared to children with parents who don't have a SAD history.
A good thing is that SAD typically lasts for 1 or 2 months only. Nevertheless it needs treatment. Leaving it unchecked can lead to severe form of SAD or even some other form of depression, disturbing your life further.
Though there are many "natural" and "home remedies" which might be possibly good solutions. it is highly recommended that you consult a certified medical specialist in order to insure that you don't wind up doing some form of harm to yourself. Remember that the doctor is the best person to help you in the battle against any form of the menace known as depression.