6 Signs You've Got SAD

seasonal affective disorder, signs of, symptoms of, how to spot, SAD,

It’s normal to feel a little low in winter but for some people the cold, grey days can herald the onset of a form of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  So how do you know if you’ve got SAD or are just sad?

Being a form of depression,  SAD exhibits many of the same symptoms.   However if these symptoms are only apparent during autumn and winter, chances are you may be suffering from SAD.



1. Feelings of Hopelessness

One of the most common symptoms of SAD is a persistent feeling of sadness and hopelessness.  Sufferers lose interest in activities they normally enjoy and may not be as keen on socialising.

2. Sleep Disturbance

Those suffering from SAD may tend to sleep more in winter.   In a study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research in 1994, patients at an SAD clinic averaged about 7.5 hours of sleep in the summer, 8.5 hours in the spring and autumn, and nearly 10 hours in the winter.  However the additional hours in bed don’t automatically mean they feel rested.   People with SAD experience more insomnia and sleep disturbance.

3. Irritability

Research suggests that people with SAD are significantly more irritable.  They may also be more prone to anger than people with regular (nonseasonal) depression.

A study  comparing people with active SAD and those with regular depression found more than 40% of the people in the SAD group experienced sudden fits of inappropriate anger, compared to just 29% in the other group. Those with SAD experienced 19 of these "anger attacks" a month, on average.

4. Hunger

 Sixty-five percent of people with the disorder report being hungrier during the colder, darker months.   The powerful appetite that can accompany SAD may be a response to a seasonal drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with elevating mood and controlling hunger.

5.  Carb Cravings

The disorder can produce a strong craving for complex carbohydrates such as bread and pasta in up to  70% of sufferers.  Eating lots of carbohydrates causes the levels of something called tryptophan to rise in the brain which in turn causes the release of serotonin, elevating mood.

6.  Loss of Libido

A loss of libido is common among people with SAD and depression alike.   A rarer condition - sometimes called “summer depression” or “reverse SAD”—results in an increased sex drive.
 

Source:  Health.com