Do I have Seasonal Affective Disorder?

While you should not try and diagnose any illness yourself by reading books or articles, here are some pointers which might indicate SAD which you should then check out with your doctor.

DO YOU SUFFER FROM SAD? Are you aware of changes in your mood as winter approaches? Do your energy levels drop in winter and you find yourself doing less and less? Do you feel the cold and shun the great outdoors in the winter months? Do you long to spend your time in bed or huddled by the fire in winter? Do you fall asleep early in the evening or wake up later in the morning only in the winter months? Do you have problems getting out of bed on winter mornings? Do you feel tired or drowsy all day in winter even though you're doing less? Do you eat more (a lot more) starchy food in winter? Do you find you're just not satisfied by the salads and lean proteins you're happy with in summer? Do you binge more on bread, pasta, cookies and cakes in winter? Do you always weigh more in winter? Do you hate going to work on winter mornings even though you don't mind your job? Do you avoid social contact in winter? Do you find it hard to concentrate on anything in winter? Do you neglect your chores when the weather turns colder because you can't be bothered to do anything? Do you find the normal stresses of everyday living are much harder to cope with in winter? Does your mood lift in spring? Do you regain enthusiasm for your family, your home, your social life and your career as the days become brighter? Do you lose weight every spring?

The more questions you answer "yes" to the more likely it is that you have seasonal affective disorder. If you think that you have SAD, you should always visit your doctor because:

• You may have a more serious illness with similar symptoms.
• You may be suffering from another illness as well as SAD which also needs treatment 
• Only medical professionals have access to the full range of tests and treatment which may be required
• Only those with access to your full medical history know which treatments may be suitable or unsuitable for you.