Seasonal affective disorder
Definition
Seasonal affective disorder, often abbreviated as SAD, is a type of mood disorder that follows an annual pattern consistent with the seasons. The most common course for SAD includes an onset of depressive symptoms late in the fall, continuation of symptoms throughout winter, and remission of symptoms in the spring.
Description
According to the handbook used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition text revised, or DSM-IV-TR, SAD is not considered a disorder or syndrome on its own. Instead, SAD is considered a pattern specifier, or subtype, of another mood disorder diagnosis. For example, an...
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