Health Topics A-Z

What Are the Symptoms?

Some or all of the following symptoms are present during the fall and winter. Occasionally, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) occurs in summer, but with diminished, rather than increased, eating or sleeping symptoms.

• Depression, difficulty enjoying life, pessimism about the future.
• Loss of energy, fatigue, inertia, apathy.
• Increased need for sleep, difficulty getting up in the morning.
• Impaired functioning: difficulty getting to work on time; tasks that are normally easy seem impossible.
• Increased appetite, weight gain.
• Carbohydrate cravings.
• Desire to avoid people or to be alone.
• Irritability, crying spells.
• Decreased sex drive.
• Suicidal thoughts or feelings.
• Difficulty concentrating

For children and adolescents:

• Feeling tired and irritable.
• Temper tantrums.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Vague physical complaints.
• Marked cravings for junk food.

Call Your Doctor If:

You or your child suffers some of these symptoms with the onset of fall and winter and they seem to diminish or dissipate as spring and summer approach.