"Here comes the sun!"

I have thought many times on how my mood changes depending upon the season. I always just thought I liked the summer and spring better because it was the time of year that held my birthday, no school, and many other fun events and holidays. I never gave much more thought to it then that. This year it had seemed that the winter really took it out of me. I finially have come to a decision that I require sunlight, vitamin D, to be my happiest. Today the sun was shinning and the weather was warm. I was HAPPY. I am unbelievably excited for it to stay warm outside.


This led me to think about the possibility of having SAD, or seasonal depression. I would venture that I tend to have a little bit of this. Here is some information about it.


Seasonal depression, often called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a depression that occurs each year at the same time, usually starting in fall or winter and ending in spring or early summer. It is more than just "the winter blues" or "cabin fever." A rare form of SAD known as "summer depression," begins in late spring or early summer and ends in fall.


Symptoms


People who suffer from SAD have many of the common signs of depression: Sadness, anxiety, irritability, loss of interest in their usual activities, withdrawal from social activities, and inability to concentrate. They often have symptoms such as extreme fatigue and lack of energy, increased need for sleep, craving for carbohydrates, and increased appetite and weight gain.
Symptoms of winter SAD include:

* Fatigue
* Increased need for sleep
* Decreased levels of energy
* Weight gain
* Increase in appetite
* Difficulty concentrating
* Increased desire to be alone



I guess it is a good thing that SPRING IS ALMOST HERE! YEAH!