Seasonal Affective Disorder has different names, such as: winter depression, seasonal depression, winter blues, sadness, and even winter blues. It describes a specific type of depression that usually begins in late fall and continues throughout the winter months .Formerly considered a mood disorder, it has recently become a way to define depression and is now technically called the Seasonal Pattern Specifier. Some symptoms of seasonal affective disorder: Difficulty waking up in the morning Overeating (marked by increased cravings for carbohydrates) Decreased energy and a feeling of heaviness in your limbs, as if your arms and legs are particularly heavy Decreased ability to concentrate and complete daily tasks Before you start worrying and spend the next 20 minutes doing something To start Googling about it, it's important to note that SAD is more than just feeling "off" for a few days and wanting some pasta. SAD is also marked by a withdrawal from social activities, uncharacteristic pessimism, and an inability to enjoy the things that usually make you happy. Physiological changes occur in your brain and body, mainly related to exposure to light, disruption of the circadian rhythm, and your subsequent ability to receive serotonin. PM: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (a chemical produced naturally in your body that sends messages to different parts of your brain) that you always hear about, and you probably know that it can greatly affect your mood. In any case, this is precisely the problem with SAD, which causes people to reduce their symptoms and blame themselves for the constant winter mood slump. Human awareness of the physiological components associated with the disorder is low, so seasonal mood changes are viewed as a personality trait when they are actually physiological in nature. SAD is extremely rare in people who live within 30 degrees latitude of the equator. For example, researchers at the University of Copenhagen were able to use brain scans to demonstrate quantitative changes in the brains of patients who reported experiencing depression-like symptoms during the winter months. Here are more statistics on SAD according to Mental Health America: 3 out of 4 people with SAD are women The onset of SAD usually begins at a young age, between the ages of 18 and 30. About half a million people are diagnosed with SAD each year. Sign up for my consultations at: https://smirrnova.ru