SAD is a well-known condition that is otherwise known as seasonal affective disorder and is only one of depressions many faces. This is a type of depression that is easily characterized simply because of the way that the individual with this disorder will generally experience the symptoms of depression when there has been a season change that has occurred. Normally, this form of depression will only occur during either the fall or the winter seasons. One of the positive aspects of seasonal affective disorder is the fact that it is generally an easy disorder to treat. Most of the patients that experience depression symptoms that occur during a specific season find that their condition becomes much easier to handle once they have undergone a small amount of light therapy. Although light therapy usually alleviates the symptoms that are occurring, there are some individuals with SAD that may need to have a prescription medicine prescribed for them by their family health care professional.

In some cases, professionals have difficulty distinguishing depression and seasonal affective disorder. Patients suffering from this condition usually undergo light therapy, but for more severe symptoms, prescribed medications may be required.