Jack has dealt with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) for many years. As with most sufferers, it took a while for him to realize what was wrong, especially since it wasn't even diagnosed in the U.S. until the early 1980's. For Jack, its effects were debilitating enough that he left his Jesuit training after spending several bleak, winter months in a darkened room recovering from another illness. It was years before he made the connection between his deep dispair during that period and the symptoms of SAD, since confirmed by numerous physicians.

For more information on SAD, this is a good place to start. Also, some of the latest research and treatment techniques are hightlighted in this NY Times article. You could also read Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder by Norman Rosenthal, MD, pioneer in SAD research.

Here's a link to the homepage for the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association.

If you'd like to share your own experiences with SAD, and/or treatment techniques that have worked particularly well for you, please email us or post a comment to this entry.