SAD impacts only 4 to 6% of the U.S. population on average, although that figure is closer to 10% in the mid-Atlantic region, and about 1 in 5 people could experience a mild form.
It could lead to a reprise of the depressive feelings we had when stay-at-home orders and business closures began in mid-March, even if a current surge in COVID cases plateaus and further lockdowns are not needed.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, usually manifests itself at this time of the year, as the days grow shorter. An expert says it is real and it can be psychologically painful.