For many, putting on a happy face is the last thing they want to do.
Add to that, the arrival of SAD – seasonal affective disorder. Unofficially it usually strikes around February, once the holidays are finally tucked away, but it can hit any time of year, even summer months. That said, fall and winter seasons are notorious for SAD-sufferers, when early darkness tend to bring out the blues.“With seasonal stressors and shorter days, no one is expected to be holly jolly all winter.
So – you have a case of the blues because the sun isn’t shining, and it’s wet and miserable outside? How bad can it be? The Mayo Clinic explains that it’s absolutely normal to have some days when you feel down. “But if you feel down for days at a time and you can’t get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, see your health-care provider.”
The key is in recognizing some of the factors that attribute to SAD, notes Newton, who says that, although the exact causes of SAD are unknown, , “SAD is a real, diagnosable mental health condition,” and should be treated as such.