The days are getting shorter, the light is changing, and if you’re someone who deals with seasonal depression, you probably already know what’s coming. Seasonal affective disorder, often shortened to SAD, does not usually announce itself. It creeps in around the same time the clocks change and the holiday ads start, and by the time you notice, you’re already in it.
I see this pattern often in my work as a therapist. Someone comes in around November or December feeling foggy, exhausted, and flat, wondering what’s wrong with them, when really their body has been reacting to less sunlight and more pressure since September. The shift I’d encourage is starting now, while you still have energy and clarity, rather than in the middle of December when everything feels harder to change. You don’t have to just push through fall and winter every year.
What Is Seasonal Depression?
Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression tied to the change in seasons, most often triggered by reduced sunlight in the fall and winter months. It is not just feeling a little sad that summer is over. Seasonal depression symptoms tend to include:
- Low energy that doesn’t improve with rest
- Oversleeping or trouble getting out of bed
- Cravings for carbohydrates and comfort food
- Trouble concentrating or feeling mentally foggy
- A heaviness or flatness that makes normal tasks feel harder than they should
- Pulling away from people and activities you normally enjoy
For some people seasonal depression is mild. For others it is debilitating enough to affect work, relationships, and basic self-care. Seasonal affective disorder treatment usually works best when it starts before symptoms fully take hold, not after.
It’s also worth naming that the holidays complicate this. Even without a seasonal mood pattern, this stretch of the year adds financial stress, family dynamics, grief for people no longer in the room, and a packed schedule that leaves little room to actually feel your feelings. If you already carry a seasonal component, the holidays can make it heavier.
How to Prepare for Seasonal Depression Before It Starts
Most people wait until they’re already struggling to do anything about seasonal depression. The shift I’d encourage is starting now, while you still have energy and clarity, rather than in the middle of December when everything feels harder to change.
Get light exposure early. If mornings are part of your trigger, getting outside or in front of a light therapy box in the first hour or two after waking can help regulate your circadian rhythm before the darker months set in. Starting light therapy in September or October, before symptoms peak, tends to work better than starting reactively once winter depression has already set in.
Look at your calendar honestly. Before the holiday invitations start piling up, think through what you can realistically say yes to. You are allowed to skip things. You are allowed to leave early. Protecting your energy now is easier than trying to claw it back once you’re depleted.
Build in movement you don’t have to think about. Not a new fitness plan, just something low effort that gets your body moving a few times a week. A short walk, stretching, anything that doesn’t require willpower you may not have later in the season.
Reconnect with your support system now. It’s much easier to reach out to a friend, a therapist, or a support group before you’re in a low point than during one. If you know this time of year is hard, put support in place while you still have the bandwidth to ask for it.
Name what you’re grieving, if that applies. For a lot of people, the holidays are tangled up with loss, whether that’s a person, a relationship, or a version of the season you used to have. You don’t have to pretend that’s not part of it.
When to Get Professional Support for Seasonal Depression
One thing I hear often is some version of, “I don’t want to make a big deal out of this, other people have it worse.” Struggling with your mood as the seasons change is not a character flaw and it is not something you need to justify. If this time of year is hard for you, that’s reason enough to take it seriously and put support in place.
If you’re noticing this pattern in yourself, or you already know fall and winter tend to knock you down, it’s worth talking to someone before it fully sets in. Individual counseling can help you build a plan specific to what this season actually looks like for you, not a generic list of tips. Some people also find a support group helpful during this stretch, since being around others who understand what the season brings can ease some of the isolation that comes with it.
FAQ
When does seasonal depression usually start? Seasonal depression symptoms most commonly begin in the fall, often around September or October, and tend to peak during the shortest, darkest days of winter.
Is seasonal depression the same as regular depression? Seasonal affective disorder is a subtype of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, typically improving in spring and summer. It shares many symptoms with major depression but is specifically tied to the change in seasons and light exposure.
Can therapy help with seasonal depression? Yes. Individual counseling can help you build coping strategies, address the specific stressors the season brings, and create a plan before symptoms fully set in, rather than only reacting once you’re already struggling.
Have a different question? Visit the full FAQs page for more.
Reach Out Before the Season Gets Heavy
If you’re in Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, or South Carolina and want support heading into this stretch of the year, I’d love to hear from you.