SAD Symptoms

Medically reviewed by:

Dr Dan Bunstone - Medical Officer

Updated: Aug 18, 2021

Next review: Aug 18, 2022

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can affect people in different ways. If you’re showing even just a few of the symptoms we’ll look at below on a regular basis, it can be enough for our doctors to identify that SAD is the cause.

SAD symptoms are usually most severe during the winter months, beginning in autumn (around September/November time) and easing off during spring (around March/April/May), every year. It is a type of depression and can impact certain people more severely than others.

Usually, but not always, SAD starts in young adults and it is more common in women. There could also be links to family history and there are a greater number of cases in people who have another form of depression or a bipolar disorder.

In some people, their seasonal affective disorder is not constant during the winter. You may have periods where you feel happy, followed by periods when you feel down.

In rare cases, people can have reverse SAD, where they feel depressed during the spring and summer, rather than winter. As well as the symptoms we have mentioned, they may also have trouble sleeping or a poor appetite, leading to weight loss.

As the symptoms are very similar to other conditions, such as depression, it may take months, or even years to get a SAD diagnosis, as the doctor may need to monitor you over a period of time to see if your symptoms appear in a regular, seasonal pattern.

SAD symptoms are similar to those of depression, including:

Having a low mood, most of the day, almost every day during winter
Being irritable or agitated
Having low energy levels
Feeling tearful
Finding it hard to get up in the morning, or sleeping for longer
Being more stressed or anxious than normal
Experiencing a loss of interest in daily activities
Feelings of worthlessness or despair
Having low self-esteem
Finding it hard to concentrate
Being less sociable with friends and family
Having a low sex drive
Eating more, particularly carbohydrates
Feeling suicidal
Tiredness

Feeling low from time to time is normal, but if you are experiencing some, or all of the symptoms mentioned above, and you are finding it difficult to manage, it is a good idea to speak to a doctor for more advice and help.

If you think that you have SAD and you are struggling to cope with it, our caring doctors can listen to your symptoms and offer advice and treatment options that may help.

They are available every day of the year. You can speak to them from home, where you feel comfortable, over a secure video connection.

MIND, Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), 2016.
mind.org.uk/media/4694765/understanding-sad-2016-pdf.pdf
Family Doctor.org, Seasonal Affective Disorder, 21/06/2017.
familydoctor.org/condition/seasonal-affective-disorder
Lewis, J. Psychology Today, Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder: SAD in the Summer, 01/15/2015.
psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/brain-babble/201501/reverse-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-in-the-summer
American Family Physician, Seasonal Affective Disorder, 01/03/2000.
aafp.org/afp/2000/0301/p1531.html

Dr Dan Bunstone - Medical Officer

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