DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs as weather changes, typically from Mid-October to March. 

"Seasonal Affective Disorder is a disorder that affects the person impacts the person primarily when the days are gray and the weather turns colder, our days get shorter, and it's dark by 5pm," said Debbie Cox Schwalbe, a Licensed Clinical Counselor at Pleasant Counseling. 

Symptoms of SAD include oversleeping, weight gain, and social isolation. People with SAD often overeat and have cravings for sugar or carbohydrates. 

The symptoms of SAD are similar to those of other mental illnesses.

"You sometimes have feelings of hopelessness, or worthlessness, or inappropriate guilt," said Dr. Brad Hughes, the Psychiatrics Medical Director of Memorial Behavioral Health.  "You can have impaired concentration, decreased interest in usually pleasurable activities."

Dr. Hughes and Cox Schwalbe say symptoms tend to increase when people experience less sunlight. On days when it is cold and dark, people are less likely to be motivated to get out of bed or follow their daily routines. 

"I encourage people to challenge themselves on the gray mornings when they awaken and it's dark, you know, to remind themselves that they still need to get out of bed and still need to get going," said Cox Schwalbe. "I recommend challenging oneself rather than giving in." 

Because sunlight has such an impact on SAD, one of the most common solutions is light therapy. 

"Common treatments for SAD will be things such as a light box or bright light therapy, also called Photo therapy, where people will be asked to sit in front of the bright light, typically early morning, upon awakening," said Dr. Hughes.

Vitamin D prescriptions or injections are often offered by doctors when symptoms are bad. 

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