In late October, “Adam,” a 43-year-old man, consulted me.

“I don’t know what’s wrong,” he said. “It seems like every fall, I just don’t feel like myself.”

He pulled out his list of symptoms: “I have less energy. My mood is lower and I’m more irritable. I sometimes procrastinate and avoid social activities. I’m distracted and it’s harder to focus. Things don’t seem to interest me very much and stuff that used to bring me a sense of pleasure just doesn’t. I feel sluggish even though I’m sleeping more than usual, and by the time winter sets in, I’m really depressed. All these things get worse. I just don’t get it. In early spring, I gradually come out of it. I’m like a different person by April. I feel good, energized, and motivated, but then, come October… I just don’t know. What’s wrong with me?”

I asked Adam a number of questions. I found out that he met the criteria for a particular type of recurrent depression with a seasonal pattern, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5-TR). The condition is better known “seasonal affective disorder (SAD)” or “the winter blues.”

“Is that a real thing?” he asked. “I thought it was all in my head.”

It's not. Adam and others like him have a very real condition that negatively affects their mood, sleep, appetite, fatigue, motivation, focus, activity level, connection to other people, and sense of interest and pleasure. People with SAD may find that their sleep becomes negatively affected as well, decreasing their energy and sense of well-being. Some experience differences in appetite, eating either more or........

© Psychology Today