For as long as she could remember, Lynn had dreaded the winter months. As a child growing up in Minnesota, she thought it was just because of the length of time each year that it was cold and snowy. She never understood how others in her family and neighborhood seemed to look forward to winter so they could play in the snow, go snowmobiling, or go ice fishing. It seemed like her anticipation of the long winter became worse each year, and she did not feel like herself again until spring, which always signaled the gradual lifting of a huge weight off her shoulders. She also came to wonder if it was just the start of school each year that triggered her moodiness and loss of interest in friends and other sunny day activities like riding her bicycle and playing outside. This was puzzling to her, however, because she did well in school and never struggled academically, even though it was

often hard to pull herself through energetically and stay motivated day to day.

When Lynn went off to college in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country, she looked forward to much less cold and snowy winters. Unfortunately, each fall/winter brought several months of the same low mood and even some feelings of despair. She was still struggling with what she simply thought of as the winter blues. Sister Lynn did, however, notice that she did not feel as bad for as long, since spring seemed to bloom much sooner than in Minnesota.

What is the diagnosis and treatment?