As winter months approach, more people are affected by depression

Psychologists from Utah State University reveal that season affective disorder can affect up to 5 percent of people and 20 percent can show some symptoms of the condition, reports The Statesman.

Some experts believe that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a part of regular depression, rather than being a disorder of its own because the condition is often difficult to diagnose because individuals show depressive symptoms throughout the year. However, winter adds a stressor that can cause symptoms to become more severe.

Individuals who suffer from SAD claim they become depressed during the winter months. However, psychologists say that the depressive tendencies develop before colder months arrive and that the thought of winter becomes a stressor in their lives.

Experts at the school say that when children and adults suffer from depression symptoms for more than a month, it can start to change the chemical activity in the brain. Furthermore, if left untreated, people who have the condition can become more vulnerable to stress while the underlying causes of depression can intensify during winter.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 14.8 million people suffer from depression each year.