Frequently asked Q's

• What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

  SAD is a kind of depression that appears during certain seasons.

  SAD affects how you feel, think and behave. Symptoms can be severe enough to affect daily life. 

  Most people experience it in autumn or winter when daylight becomes shorter.  But spring and summer can affect some people.   

  On the following link, you can read more about seasonal affective disorder in summer.

• How many people are affected by SAD?

  Some studies show about 1 in 15 people in the UK experience SAD each winter.  

  About 3 in every 100 people are severely affected by winter SAD in the UK. 

  Symptoms can go from mild to severe. 

  Women and young people are more likely to experience the condition. 

• What are the causes of SAD?

  The causes of SAD are not fully known. But winter darkness can make some people feel low or tired.  

  Some people experience SAD in summer, so other factors could be important too.

• What are the symptoms of SAD?

  Common symptoms are: 

  • You might feel sad or down.
  • Things you usually enjoy may not feel fun.
  • Your energy can drop.
  • You might want to be alone more.
  • Little things might annoy you.
  • You may sleep more than normal.
  • You might eat more than usual.
  • You might feel guilty or hopeless for no reason.
  • You might find it harder to focus.
  • You may have suicidal thoughts.
• How is SAD diagnosed?

  SAD is not a standalone diagnosis in the 2 manuals used by medical professionals to diagnose mental health conditions:

  • International Classification of Diseases - ICD-11.
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - DSM-5.

  You might experience depression. Both manuals say that medical professionals should consider whether it is linked to the seasons. 

  Your GP might assess your symptoms and offer you advice and treatment. Or they might refer you for an assessment with a specialist NHS mental health team. This will be if your symptoms are very challenging.

• How can I get help for SAD?

  If the symptoms of SAD are affecting your day-to-day life, to begin with you can:

  • See your GP
  • Try talking therapy
  • See our Worried about your mental health? information for more options

  You might be having suicidal thoughts. You can get helpful advice and information on our How do I manage thoughts of suicide? page.

• What are the treatment and self-help options for SAD?

  Treatment and self-help options for SAD include:

  • Talking therapy like Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Antidepressant medication
  • Getting outdoors into natural light, even if it is not sunny. You can let as much light as possible into your home.
  • Using a lightbox. These lamps have light like natural light. If you have eye or skin problems, get medical advice before using one. You can read more by scrolling down to ‘Light therapy’ on this NHS page on seasonal affective disorder
  • Talking to someone you trust or an emotional support line
  • Doing physical activity and going to green spaces
  • Spending time with others
  • Trying to have a good sleep routine 

  The things above can make a real difference and help with your symptoms.

  You might be having suicidal thoughts. You can get helpful advice and information on our How do I manage thoughts of suicide? page.

• How can I get urgent help for my mental health?

  If you need urgent help for your mental health, see our Get help now page.

• Further information

  The following organisations have further information on seasonal affective disorder:

  • Mental Health UK
  • The Royal College of Psychiatrists
  • The NHS
  • Mind
  • Mental Health Foundation
• Is this information accessible?
  • There is an accessibility function on this webpage called Recite.
  • On the desktop site, click on the icon in the top right-hand corner next to ‘Donate.’
  • On the mobile site, scroll right and click on the ‘Turn on accessibility’ icon.

  The Recite function allows you to:

  • translate the text into many different languages,
  • hear the text read aloud, in over 100 languages,
  • change the type and size of font, and
  • change the line height and character spacing,
    change the background colour of the text.

  For more information, you can watch this 2 minute video about How to use the Recite accessibility function.