12/11/2026
We're happy to announce that our Clinical Psychologist Dr Pauline Tapping was recently featured on the BBC, where she discussed the transition to winter for parents. In this particular clip, she talks about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and why that heavier winter feeling is a real thing, not just in your head.
As she puts it, Seasonal Affective Disorder is essentially a type of depression that tends to show up in the darker months, as the weather turns and the days get shorter. It's more common than people realise, and it affects young people too, not only adults.
The signs she describes are ones a lot of us will recognise in winter:
• lower mood than usual
• less energy
• less motivation to do the things you'd normally do
• wanting to stay in bed longer, duvet over your head
• feeling less sociable, more withdrawn
• changes in appetite, such as eating more
Noticing a few of these as the season changes is really common. But if it sounds like you, or like your child, and it's sticking around or getting in the way of everyday life, it's worth a conversation with your GP.
Save this as a gentle winter check-in, and share it with someone who finds this time of year harder than the rest.
🎙️ Dr Pauline Tapping on BBC Radio Cumbria
