A 30-year-old female presents with a recurrent pattern of increased sleepiness, increased appetite for carbohydrates, and weight gain that occurs every winter and remits in the spring. She has no history of depressive episodes outside of the winter season. What is the possible diagnosis and management plan?
The patient's symptoms suggest Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), winter pattern. This subtype is characterized by hypersomnia, overeating, weight gain, and a craving for carbohydrates, and usually remits in the spring and summer. Light therapy, psychotherapy, and medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are common treatment options.