What is seasonal affective disorder? 

 

Seasonal affcetive disorder (SAD) or the "winter blues", is a psychiatric disorder where individuals display recurrent depressive symptoms typically during the winter period and in some cases, in the summer. SAD occurs in patients suffering from bipolar or major depressive disorder. Approximately 6% of adults suffer from SAD, and the mean age of SAD presentation is 27 years. Such patients recieve considerably more prescriptions and more frequently referred to secondary care. If the condition presents in childhood, the prevalence of it is equal between both genders. During child bearing age, the chances of suffering from it is four times greater in women. There's a decreased risk of developing as the patient gets older, where the prevalace between gender are equal

 

As seasonal affective disorder is a variant of depression, typical symptoms remain shared. However sufferers also display atypical symptoms as shown below.