The symptoms of SAD usually recur regularly each winter,
starting between September and November and continuing
until March or April.
A diagnosis can be made after three or more consecutive winters of symptoms, which may include a number of the following:
Depression
- Low mood, worse than and different from normal sadness
- Negative thoughts and feelings
- Guilt and loss of self-esteem
- Sometimes hopelessness and despair
- Sometimes apathy and inability to feel
Sleep Problems
- The need to sleep more
- A tendency to oversleep
- Difficulty staying awake during the day and/or disturbed sleep with
very early morning wakening
Lethargy
- Fatigue, often incapacitating, making it very difficult or impossible to carry out normal routines
Over Eating
- Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods leading to an increase in weight
Cognitive Function
- Difficulty with concentration and memory
- The brain does not work as well, or as quickly
Social Problems
- Irritability
- Finding it harder to be with people
Anxiety
- Tension
- Stress is harder to deal with
Loss of Libido
- Less interest in sex and physical contact
Sudden Mood Changes in Spring
- Sharp change in mood
- Some experience agitation and restlessness and/or a short period of
hypomania (over activity) - No dramatic mood change but a gradual loss of winter symptoms
Most sufferers show signs of a weakened immune system during the winter,
and are more vulnerable to infections and other illnesses.
SAD symptoms disappear in spring, either suddenly with a short period (e.g. four weeks) of hypomania or hyperactivity, or gradually, depending on the intensity
of sunlight in the spring and early summer.
In sub-syndromal SAD, symptoms such as tiredness, lethargy, sleep and eating problems occur, but depression and anxiety are absent or mild.
SAD may begin at any age but the main age of onset is between 18 and 30 years.
SAD occurs throughout the northern and southern hemispheres but is extremely rare in those living within 30 degrees of the Equator, where daylight hours are long, constant and extremely bright.
http://www.sada.org.uk/symptoms-of-SAD.html
Phoenix is the editor of this site and was diagnosed with bipolar twenty years ago. In between 8 periods of illness and hospitalisation she trained as a garden designer and was a awarded an RHS Diploma, gained a first class degree in Cultural Studies and a Certificate in Education that enables her to lecture in Recovery in Mental Health to psychiatric nurse students and mental health professionals at universities.
Phoenix leads a diverse life which she attributes to Wellness Recovery Action Planning and all aspects of Recovery. In the last 2 years she performed stand up comedy. Laughter truly is the best medicine! Now she is concentrating on being involved in improving conditions for inpatients and service receivers trustwide. And training in WRAP, Recovery Star and the new Advanced Statement and some gardening for health. Also with some great new art projects. 
