December 21 was the winter solstice: the shortest, hence darkest, day of the year. January 17 (some claim) is the «saddest day of the year,» factoring in bad weather, postholiday withdrawal, and the usual effect of return-to-work Mondays on our moods.
I believe that this belief is false. Winter is not the saddest time of the year; in fact, springtime is much worse.
Many see seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as synonymous with winter depression. However, depression is only half of the problem; spring and summer mania tend to be ignored. Beginning with winter depression, core symptoms resemble hibernation. People sleep more, eat more, and are less interested in usual activities. They are not sad in mood, typically, and may be unaware that their slowed down, uninterested behavior reflects a kind of depression.
A number of misconceptions are harbored about winter depression. The most frequent, perhaps, is that it has to do with coldness of temperature. Winter depression is not about shivering and freezing. These do not cause depression; decreased light does.
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