Autumn in Kashmir is not merely a season. It is a beautiful presence an awaited one that arrives and settles into every corner of life. The Chinar leaves turn gold, the air sharpens with cold, and the valley braces itself for months of stillness. The crimson shades of red, orange, and yellow lend autumn a mellow beauty, a kind of comfort after a year of enduring the elements. But as the days grow shorter and the sunlight begins to fade, the changing season can bring something else entirely for some people. It can reach into the mind and alter the rhythms of mood, sleep, energy, and daily life. 

For some, a feeling of gloom gradually settles in creating a peculiar sadness that seems to follow the shortening days. The inability to feel pleasure in things once enjoyed begins to creep in. Oversleeping becomes a refuge. Weight gain may follow. Energy diminishes, motivation becomes harder to summon, and self-esteem begins to erode. What may initially seem like an ordinary response to winter can become something far more significant called the Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. 

SAD is more than the commonly described “winter blues.” It is a form of depression with a seasonal pattern, in which depressive episodes recur at particular times of the year and remit during other seasons. In a place like Kashmir, where winters can be long, cold, and frequently overcast, the seasonal environment may present particular challenges for people vulnerable to the disorder. It is a quiet struggle that can unfold behind closed doors, in dimly lit rooms, and in the silence of people who may not even have a name for what they are experiencing. 

Kashmir’s geographical location holds relevance to this experience. Research has long suggested that SAD is more common in populations living at higher latitudes, where winter brings shorter days and reduced exposure to sunlight. In Kashmir, daylight hours become considerably shorter during the winter months, particularly between November and February. For some individuals, symptoms may begin to emerge during the autumn and........

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