Not everyone with SAD has the same symptoms, but common symptoms of winter depression include the following:
- Feelings of hopelessness and sadness
- Thoughts of suicide
- Hypersomnia or a tendency to oversleep
- A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods
- Weight gain
- A heavy feeling in the arms or legs
- A drop in energy level
- Decreased physical activity
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Increased sensitivity to social rejection
- Avoidance of social situations
Symptoms of the summer SAD are:
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Insomnia
- Agitation and anxiety
Either type of SAD may also include some of the symptoms that are present in other kinds of depression, such as feelings of guilt, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed, ongoing feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, or physical problems such as headaches and stomachaches.
Symptoms of SAD tend to reoccur at about the same time every year. The changes in mood are not necessarily related to obvious seasonal stressors (like being regularly unemployed during the winter). Usually depression is mild or moderate. However, some people experience severe symptoms and 6 percent of SAD patients need hospitalization at some time in their lives.
