It can cause a change in appetite, weight gain, a heavy feeling in the arms or legs, a drop in energy levels, fatigue, a tendency to oversleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, avoidance of social situations – not to mention the most damaging symptom: a sustained feeling of depression nearly every day. Seasonal depression isn’t just ‘winter blues.’ It’s a recognized medical condition that can severely affect people’s lives. It typically commences in the late fall or early winter and recedes during the sunnier days of spring and early summer. Seasonal depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a recurring mental health condition triggered by the changing seasons. Seasonal Depression: The Unseen Winter SpecterĪs the world tilts on its axis, bringing along a change in seasons, the Gulf Health Council has highlighted an insidious threat to mental wellbeing that often lurks in the shadows of winter.
