Seasonal affective disorder psychology definition

How do I know if I have seasonal affective disorder? How is seasonal affective disorder diagnosed? Is seasonal affective disorder a bipolar variant? What is seasonal mood disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder , or SA is a type of recurrent major depressive disorder in which episodes of depression occur during the same season each year.

Seasonal affective disorder ( SAD ), mood disorder characterized by recurring depression in autumn and winter, separated by periods of nondepression in spring and summer. The most common time for the symptoms of SAD to recur is in the fall, lasting through the winter, earning it the nickname winter blues. It is characterized by changes in sleeping habits and difficulty getting out of be.

This condition is also known as “winter depression”, because it is precisely a type of mild depression that usually appears when winter begins. Many people think that it is simply a change of mood or seek other explanations for their emotional disturbances, however, it is a disease and as such should be treated. The signs are the same as those of depression , the American Psychological Association noted.

They tend to begin in the fall, persist throughout the winter and then fully resolve in the spring, with the average SAD episode lasting five months, Rohan said.

Common symptoms include sleeping too much, having little to no energy, and overeating. The main types of affective disorders are depression, bipolar disorder , and anxiety disorder. Symptoms vary by individual and can range from mild to severe. A psychiatrist or other trained mental health professional can diagnose an. Skip to site navigation Skip to Content This content does not have an English version.

Depression is sadness and a sense of apathy that impacts daily life in a negative way. People with SAD experience mood changes and symptoms similar to depression. The symptoms usually occur during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight and usually improve with. Interestingly enough, there is a less common form of seasonal affective disorder that can develop in the summer months.

Affective disorder , mental disorder characterized by dramatic changes or extremes of mood. Effective treatments are available, however. We’ll discuss the three main.

SAD is sometimes known as winter depression because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter. Winter depression (or winter blues) is a common affliction for those who live in our northern climate. The primary feature of seasonal affective disorder is a pattern of depressive or manic episodes that occurs with the onset of the winter months.

As the days become shorter, and the weather colder, there is an increase in vegetative depressive symptoms.

More often than not, the symptoms occur in the fall and winter months, and they. It is believed that affected persons react adversely to the decreasing amount of light and the colder temperature as autumn and winter progress. SAD): a mood disorder associated with changes in season.

According to the NHS website, SAD is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern, disappearing in the spring and summer but returning in the autumn and winter in a repetitive pattern. As such, SAD is not considered a stand-alone diagnosis or comorbid condition to recurrent major depression or bipolar disorder. People who are affected by this disorder commonly suffer from depression, lethargy, inability to concentrate, overeating and weight gain.

Medline Medical Dictionary gives this definition.