Some of the symptoms of SAD are very physical. Appetite often changes in marked contrast to spring and summer. People can experience uncontrollable cravings for sweet and starchy foods such as cookies, chocolate, pasta and bread, which causes them to put on a few pounds (or more). Dieting seems out of the question. Some notice marked changes in their need for sleep or ability to sleep normal hours. It can become tough to wake up in the morning in time for work or school, and daytime fatigue persists no matter how much sleep they get at night. Indeed, people who sleep the most often also report the most fatigue: long sleep is just not restorative. As the days grow shorter in fall, it is the physical symptoms of SAD - appetite, sleep, and daytime fatigue - that are usually the first to be noticed. The symptoms of depression then intensify (January and February are usually worst) and can lead to truly devastating, unjustified feelings of worthlessness or guilt, loss of concentration, inability to make decisions, and even thoughts of death.
A nonprofit professional agency, the Center for Environmental Therapeutics, offers a self-assessment questionnaire you can download from its web site. You can us this questionnaire, the Personal Inventory for Depression and SAD (PIDS), to help you decide if you should seek professional advice.
