What are the results of this quiz?

High risk of SAD, moderate risk of SAD, low risk of SAD.

What are the warning signs of seasonal affective disorder?

Persisting low mood, losing interest in things you once enjoyed, lack of energy, problems with sleep, apathy, or irritation.

How do people cope with SAD?

Light therapy, medication, psychotherapy, and supplementing vitamin D can help you cope with SAD.

What is the main cause of seasonal affective disorder?

The cause might be low levels of serotonin or overproduction of melatonin.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Do you crave carbohydrates during winter or summer?

1/20

Often

Occasionally

Never

Do you experience a low mood that persists throughout the day, most days?

2/20

Yes

Do you have trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep?

3/20

Yes

Do your symptoms seem to appear during summer and ease with the start of fall or winter?

4/20

Yes

Do you have relatives that suffer from depression or other mental illnesses?

5/20

Yes

Do you have difficulty concentrating?

6/20

Rarely or never

Sometimes

Often

What gender do you identify with?

7/20

Male

I would prefer not to say

Female

How often do you experience sluggishness, apathy, and low energy?

8/20

Rarely (once a week or less)

Sometimes (some days of the week)

Often (most or all days of the week)

Do you tend to gain or lose weight without meaning to during winter or summer?

9/20

Yes

Do your symptoms seem to appear during fall or winter and ease with the start of spring?

10/20

Yes

Do you experience thoughts of not wanting to live?

11/20

Yes

Do you experience losing interest in activities you used to enjoy?

12/20

Yes

Do you live in a country far from the equator?

13/20

Yes

Do you have depression?

14/20

Yes

Do you experience seasonal periods of low mood, lack of energy, and depression?

15/20

I've been experiencing it for at least two consecutive years

I've experienced for less than two consecutive years

I've never experienced it

Do you suffer from mental illnesses other than depression?

16/20

Yes

How much sunlight do you get daily?

17/20

I get a sufficient amount of sunlight

I don't get enough sunlight

I think I get a moderate amount of sunlight

How often do you feel irritated?

18/20

Often (most or all days of the week)

Sometimes (some days of the week)

Rarely (once a week or less)

Do you experience feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt?

19/20

Yes

How often do you feel agitated or anxious?

20/20

Often (most or all days of the week)

Rarely (once a week or less)

Sometimes (some days of the week)

Seasonal Affective Disorder

High risk of SAD

Your answers suggest a high risk of seasonal affective disorder. Women, people living far north or south of the equator, and those suffering from other mental health illnesses are more likely to develop SAD. There are ways to combat seasonal depression, so don't give up! Consult a doctor for further action.

giphy (28)

Moderate risk of SAD

You have a moderate risk of developing the seasonal affective disorder. There are ways to help prevent it or ease the symptoms, like regular exercise, spending as much time in natural daylight as possible, and maintaining a healthy sleep routine.

giphy (29)

Low risk of SAD

Your risk of developing seasonal affective disorder is low. If you're still concerned, there's no harm in taking preventive measures to help you keep a good mood during the winter months. Stay in the sun, keep a healthy sleep routine, and remember about physical activity.

Do you know the term “winter blues”? Do you experience periods of feeling sad or not like your usual self that appear to be seasonal? Do these periods come and go as summer changes into fall or winter into spring? You could be experiencing winter depression.

Our quiz is not an official screening method, but it can assist you in determining whether you require professional assistance. Remember – you shouldn’t feel ashamed about going to a doctor, and your mind might need aid just like your body does. Do you have SAD? Take the quiz now.

Is it winter blues, or another type of depression?

The definition of SAD

People who experience SAD go through periods of mood changes. Sometimes these mood swings are more severe and can impact how an individual feels, thinks, and goes about their daily life.

The symptoms typically start as the days shorten in the fall and winter and go away in the spring when daylight hours increase. It is known as a winter-pattern SAD. In some cases, people may have depressive episodes during spring and summer.

Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder

Typically symptoms of SAD start manifesting at the beginning of fall or winter and become more severe as time progresses.

What signs can point to SAD?

low mood persisting throughout the day
losing interest in activities previously enjoyed
changes in appetite (not wanting to eat, craving carbohydrates)
problems with sleep
feeling either lethargic or irritated
lack of energy
feeling hopeless and without value
struggling with concentration
suicidal thoughts

Do you have sleep apnea?

Winter-pattern SAD symptoms may also include oversleeping, excessive consumption, weight gain, and social withdrawal. Summer seasonal affective disorder could manifest in losing weight, trouble sleeping, anxiousness, anxiety, and violent episodes.

Because not everyone experiences SAD the same way, you may not have all these symptoms.

How is seasonal affective disorder treated?

One of the treatment options is light therapy or phototherapy, which involves exposure to light. It appears to help alleviate the symptoms of SAD in most people.

Psychotherapy is another effective option for treating SAD. With the aid of cognitive person therapy, a person can learn how to cope with their condition, manage stress, identify and transform negative thoughts, and practice healthy behaviors.

Antidepressant medications may help some people, particularly if their symptoms are severe. Your doctor may suggest you start taking antidepressant medication before your symptoms appear each year. They might also advise you to continue taking the antidepressant for some time after your symptoms have subsided. Remember that it can take a few weeks before you will feel the effects of your antidepressant.

Even though the results of scientific studies are inconclusive, there are reasons to think vitamin D could help you feel better during SAD. Low vitamin D levels are linked to low mood and depression. The seasonal affective disorder is common when vitamin D supply decreases (like during winter).

How common is seasonal affective disorder?

SAD is more prevailing in some groups than others. Women, people who live far from the equator, and those who suffer from another type of depression or mental health condition are more at risk of developing SAD. Genetics could play a role too. If your relative suffers from depression or other mental illness, you’re more likely to have SAD.

Do you know what mental illness you might have?

What causes seasonal affective disorder?

We don’t fully understand the cause of this condition. According to research, people with SAD may have low levels of serotonin which helps with mood regulation. Other studies indicate that people with SAD might suffer from an excess of melatonin, a hormone responsible for controlling the sleep-wake cycle.

Analyze your hormone type.

Serotonin and melatonin work together to maintain the natural body rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up refreshed. Changes in serotonin and melatonin levels in SAD patients throw off their regular daily patterns. Because they can no longer adapt to the seasonal fluctuations in the day-night cycle, they experience changes in their sleep, mood, and behavior.

Vitamin D can encourage serotonin production, so its deficits might worsen the SAD symptoms. Because there is not enough daylight in the winter and we get less vitamin D from the sun, people with SAD may have insufficient vitamin D levels. It may further impair serotonin activity.

Should you supplement with vitamin D, or other vitamins?

SAD can seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to resign to months of suffering in winter. There are options to treat this condition and help you feel better.

Could you have a seasonal affective disorder? Learn the warning signs and discover your risk factor with our SAD quiz. Fight the winter blues!