79 Resources for Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that relates to the seasons changing. Often, SAD sets in when the weather becomes colder and darkness starts earlier, but it can also affect individuals in the spring and summer months. Whenever symptoms begin, individuals experiencing SAD need the support and understanding from their loved ones and may benefit from speaking with mental health professionals.

Learn more about how to manage seasonal affective disorder through the resources below:

Additional Resources:

The resources in this article are for informational purposes only; individuals should consult with a licensed health care provider before taking action.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | NHS — A clear overview of SAD symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment options (including CBT, antidepressants, and light therapy), and when to seek urgent help. 

Phototherapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder | American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) — Practical, clinician-oriented explainer on light therapy/phototherapy (what it is, how it’s used, what to consider).

What doctors wish patients knew about seasonal affective disorder | American Medical Association (AMA) — Physician-guided, plain-language overview of what SAD looks like, when to get help, and common treatment approaches.

Light therapy in seasonal affective disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis… | ScienceDirect — Research-focused resource summarizing randomized and crossover trials of light therapy for SAD (effects during treatment and follow-up).

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7 Cups – Anonymous, free platform available 24/7 to speak with trained volunteers for emotional support. 

Crisis Text Line – Free text line available 24/7 that connects someone in distress with a volunteer crisis counselor. Text HOME to 741741.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine – Free, peer-support service of trained volunteers who can provide local referrals and come up with tangible next steps. Available Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET.  ET. Call 800-950-6264 or email helpline@nami.org.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Free, confidential crisis support 24/7 for people in emotional distress and their loved ones. Call or text 988 (chat available online). Spanish: call 988 then press 2, or text AYUDA to 988. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – Free, confidential information and referral service offered 24/7 for individuals with mental health or substance abuse disorders and their loved ones. Call 1-800-662-4357.

Veterans Crisis Line – Free, confidential crisis support 24/7 for Veterans, service members, National Guard/Reserve members, and their loved ones. Dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255 (chat also available).

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The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook | Michael A. Tompkins – Evidence-based CBT skills for managing stress, anxiety, and depression (student-friendly workbook format).

Seasonal Affective Disorder Workbook | Peggy Minnie Mayer – SAD-focused workbook with exercises (mood tracking, journaling, goal-setting).

Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think | 2nd Edition – Updated edition of a widely used CBT workbook; good “skills-based” resource for depression.

Phototherapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder | AAFP – Quick, clinically grounded explainer on light therapy for SAD (great companion resource next to the books).

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | NHS– High-trust, student-readable overview of symptoms, treatment options, and when to get help.

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The Truth about SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder | Kelty Mental Health — Child/parent-focused explainer + practical tips.

Seasonal Affective Disorder in Teens: Care Instructions | Kaiser Permanente (Healthwise) — Teen-specific guidance, coping steps, and when to seek help.

Seasonal Affective Disorder Coping Strategies for Teens | Mission Prep Healthcare — Teen-focused coping strategies; includes publish + update dates.

Seasonal Affective Disorder in Kids | KV Healthcare — Written by a physician; covers signs in kids + parent action steps.T

Teen behaviors seen as “normal” may indicate seasonal affective disorder | Ideastream — News-style piece highlighting how SAD can show up in adolescents and be missed.

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30-Minute Dinner Recipes | Food Network: More than 80 recipes requiring half an hour or less to make, including sesame pork Milanese, chilaquiles and penne with eggplant sauce.

31 Easy Dinner Recipes, for When You Just Can’t With Cooking | Bon Appétit: Recipes that save time and effort, including one-skillet lemony chicken and kielbasa and lentil soup.

Diet quality and depression risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis — Large synthesis (RCTs + prospective cohorts) on how overall diet quality relates to depression risk.

A Recipe for Resilience: A systematic review of diet and adolescent mental health (Nutrients) — Reviews controlled trials and cohort studies on diet patterns (including Mediterranean-style diets) and mental health outcomes in adolescents.

The effect of dietary carbohydrate quality on depression and anxiety levels in adolescents (Frontiers in Nutrition) — Examines how carbohydrate quality (not just quantity) relates to depression/anxiety markers in adolescents.

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Find Your Holiday Happiness | Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Tips for releasing some worry and stress around the holiday session, including suggestions for supporting anxious children. 

Holiday Depression | Healthline: Recommendations for combating the social isolation, grief and depression symptoms that can occur around the holidays.

Seasonal Depression Around the Holidays and the Link to Eating Disorders | Center for Discovery: An article considering the ways that seasonal affective disorder and eating disorders can trigger and fuel each other, especially in the holiday season.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) During the Holidays | Elwyn — Holiday-specific framing (December SAD Awareness Month + holiday stress, routines, expectations) and coping suggestions.

Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Practical Tips for Winter Wellness | CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) — Practical, evidence-informed tips that pair well with “holiday survival” guidance (sleep, light exposure, routines, when to seek help).

Seasonal Self-Care: Managing the Impact of Seasonal Affective Disorder | Vanderbilt University — Self-care strategies timed to peak season (late fall/early winter), useful for holiday-period planning and prevention.

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Choosing a Therapist | Anxiety and Depression Association of America: A list of questions to ask when evaluating a mental health professional.

FindTreatment.gov | SAMHSA — Government-backed locator for state-licensed mental health + substance use treatment providers (filter by location, payment/insurance, telehealth, etc.).

APA Psychologist Locator — Directory to find licensed psychologists, with filters like specialty, insurance, and languages.

Find a Psychiatrist | American Psychiatric Association — Official directory to locate psychiatrists (MD/DO) by location/specialty.

NBCC Counselor Find | National Board for Certified Counselors — Find board-certified counselors (e.g., NCC credential) and verify professional certification status.

Finding Therapy | Mental Health America: Resources for finding local mental health treatment services, including affordable options for individuals without insurance.

How Do I Find LGBTQ Friendly Therapy? | Mental Health America: Tips for identifying local therapists who specialize and have experience working with LGBTQ clients.

How Do I Find Religious Focused Therapy? | Mental Health America: Recommendations for finding local providers who offer therapy grounded in a particular religion. 

Types of Mental Health Professionals | National Alliance on Mental Illness: An overview of various types of mental health providers and the degree requirements, licensure and credentials required of each.

Questions to Help QTBIPOC Find Affirming Mental Health Providers | Mental Health America: A tool developed by Mental Health America and the Human Rights Campaign to help queer and trans Black, indigenous and people of color (QTBIPOC) access mental health care that is culturally sensitive and inclusive.

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Best Mental Health Podcasts Top 100 Shows | Goodpods – A frequently updated, data-driven leaderboard of top mental health podcasts, ranked using listening and engagement signals (e.g., listens, ratings, comments, subscriptions, and shares).

100 Best Mental Health Podcasts to Listen to in 2026 | Feedspot – A curated roundup of mental health podcasts with short show descriptions and links to listen, designed for browsing and discovery across many subtopics.

Best Mental Health Podcasts in 2025 (Community Ranked) | The Pod Radar – A community-voted list where listeners rank and surface mental health podcasts (including smaller/independent shows that don’t always appear on mainstream charts).

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AllTrails: A mobile app of more than 100,000 trail maps with reviews from the outdoors community, including hikers, mountain bikers and runners. Available on the App Store and Google Play.

Go Paddling: An app for locating places to kayak or paddleboard, available on the App Store and Google Play.

Hiking Project: A database of hiking routes organized by state with user reviews and filters for difficulty, distance, elevation and more.

Hiking Resources | American Hiking Society: A landing page for choosing a hiking trail, planning a trip and finding a local recreation group.   

Find a Park | National Park Service: A database of national parks searchable by state, activity or topic (e.g., African American heritage, glaciers, or wars and conflicts). 

Finding Light in Darker Days: How Nature Supports Winter Well-Being | University of New Hampshire Extension — Practical guidance on using outdoor time, natural light, and simple nature-based activities (walks, gardening, mindful nature exercises) to support mood during darker months.

Green healing: Ecotherapy as a transformative model of health and well-being | ScienceDirect — A 2025 peer-reviewed article summarizing ecotherapy/nature-based interventions as a public health and clinical approach, and how intentional exposure to natural environments can support mental health.

Trailforks App: An app offering interactive trail maps for skiing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and dirt biking. Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Why do I feel SAD in the summer? Recognizing summer-pattern SAD symptoms | Boulder Community Health — Explains how summer-pattern SAD can show up (often with insomnia, low appetite, agitation/anxiety) and offers practical coping steps.

Feeling SAD in summer? Yes, it’s a thing. | Mercyhealth — Clear overview of “reverse SAD,” common triggers (heat, disrupted sleep, schedule changes), and when to seek professional help.

Summer Depression: Causes, Symptoms, and Tips to Help | WebMD — Medically oriented explainer of summer depression/summer SAD with symptom list and treatment options (therapy/meds/lifestyle).

Global prevalence of seasonal affective disorder by latitude… (includes summer-type SAD) | Journal of Affective Disorders (ScienceDirect) — Research/meta-analysis that explicitly examines prevalence patterns (including summer-type SAD) across latitudes.

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Phototherapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder | AAFP — Clinician-written overview of when/how light therapy is used for SAD.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | NHS — Patient guidance that includes light therapy basics and what to look for in a lamp (10,000 lux, UV-free, UKCA/CE mark).

Treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | Mind — UK mental health charity page covering treatment options, including a clear “light therapy” subsection and cautions.

Light Therapy in Seasonal Affective Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | ScienceDirect — Research synthesis of RCTs/crossover trials assessing light therapy effects and follow-up outcomes.

Phototherapy for the Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder | BCBSRI Medical Coverage Policy — Policy-style summary of phototherapy/light box use and medical criteria; useful for “what clinicians/insurers consider standard.”

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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | NHS – Covers non-light treatment paths like talking therapies (including CBT) and antidepressants, plus self-help steps and when to seek medical help.

4 Medications to Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) | GoodRx – Clear overview of medication options commonly used for SAD (including SSRIs and bupropion XL) plus practical safety/side-effect notes (also mentions supplements like vitamin D).

Medication Fact Sheet: Bupropion | NAMI – Patient-friendly fact sheet explaining bupropion and noting it’s approved for major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder, with key precautions and what to discuss with a clinician.

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Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) | NHS — Includes a dedicated “Support for family, friends and carers” section. 

Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Practical Tips for Winter Wellness | CAMH — Practical guidance that supporters can use (routines, treatment options, when to seek help).

NAMI HelpLine FAQ: “I feel depressed around the same time each year…” — Explains seasonal-pattern depression and suggests supportive next steps + resources. 

McCall Behavioral Health Network: “Helping a loved one who is experiencing SAD” — Short, actionable tips for family/supporters.“9 Tips for Fighting Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)” | Southern New Hampshire Health — Includes practical “how to help” style strategies that fit a supporter-focused section.

Supporting Someone With Depression | Kaiser Permanente: A central page for guidance on helping a loved one with depression, including supportive actions and words.

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The following organizations and directories can provide a starting point for finding a local mental health provider suited to an individual’s preferences and needs.

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Information last updated in February 2026