The TMS Solutions' Depression & Treatment Blog 

Here we are, creeping steadily closer to the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice on December 21st, the official start of winter.  If you've managed to reset your daily routine (and that of your kids and pets) after the recent time change, you're doing pretty well.  But what if you aren't?  Well, there's a logical reason--and it's not just the start of the Christmas commercials on TV and the Christmas decor popping up in local stores.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is an illness affecting many Americans. Approximately half the time depression is associated with SAD. According to Psychology Today, "Seasonal affective disorder is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. Another 10 percent to 20 percent may have mild SAD...many people with SAD report at least one close relative with a psychiatric disorder, most frequently a severe depressive disorder (55 percent) or alcohol abuse (34 percent).”

The time change is behind us, but the effects are beginning to kick in.  Depending on where you live, you may be experiencing the Winter Blues due to the lack of sunlight.  This seasonal change can have dramatic effects on your mood.