Each and every one of us suffers a little tug at the heart strings when summer days at the beach and fall romps in the leaves make way to frozen, gray, cold winter. However, for about 2-percent of the population, the sudden change in the season can actually cause a type of depression, known as seasonal affective disorder (or SAD), which worsens with limited exposure to daylight in late fall and winter, and disappears when spring begins anew.
Seasonal affective disorder varies between individuals affected, however, these ten common, and often overwhelming, signs typically exist and suggest you or someone you love might need professional help to manage the symptoms of SAD…
1. Disabling Fatigue
A draining and sudden lack of energy for no apparent reason may be your first indication that something is amiss. SAD sufferers usually describe feelings of both mental and physical fatigue, as well as a weighted feeling throughout the entire body that makes otherwise easy activities and tasks completely exhausting.