A multifaceted approach to treating seasonal depression

People experiencing an emotional "damp, drizzly November"—to quote the melancholy opening paragraph of Herman Melville's "Moby Dick"—may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression triggered by the reduced daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. Winter-pattern SAD is characterized by symptoms such as a consistent depressed mood, sluggishness, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and a loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities, according to the National…