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Winter is coming, and so is the silent malady that haunts unwary victims especially during the onset of the cold season. The main culprit is the Seasonal Affective Disorder, a serious kind of depression that occurs when people are less exposed to natural sunlight.

While everyone else is preoccupied with the busy holiday season, there is a small percentage of people who are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, four to six percent of people in the United States suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Five out of six these people who are suffering from SAD, are women especially adults, ages 20 to 55. The risk of getting SAD increases for people who live far away from the equator, where the winter season typically lasts longer, Family Doctor reported.

While this type of depression rarely occurs because of certain triggering factors, this is also a kind of depression that won't simply brush off. The "Winter Blues" won't certainly go away so easily after the cold season. Furthermore, the symptoms may also differ from every person who is also suffering SAD. While the most common symptoms could range from mild irritability, lethargy, and fatigue, this depression could lead to more serious symptoms like suicidal tendencies. This is definitely not a matter to be taken lightly.

The good news however, is there are a few steps that people can take in order to combat or prevent the seasonal blues. In an excerpt by Mental Health America, Seasonal Depression can be treated by Light Therapy before the onset of winter. Exercising, meditation and increasing the amount of light at home also mitigates the likelihood of getting the Seasonal Depression, iTechpost reported.

If Light Therapy won't work, a doctor might recommend the patient to take antidepressant, however, patients would most likely steer clear of its unwanted effects. In some studies made by the American Family Physicians, patients who undergo Cognitive Behavioral Therapy have been cured from SAD.