Both myself and my brother suffer from fairly extreme SAD, which for me is overlaid with bipolar disorder. Unless I take steps to prevent it, I can experience paralyzing winter depression and borderline dangerous summertime mania.
Bro lives in a high northern latitude and has had huge success with light therapy. I used to live in the upper Midwest and wanted to slit my wrists every winter. Now I live in a far more Southern latitude, but unless I take steps to combat it I still feel SAD due to the shorter days...it's far more moderate but it can still be miserable. I even get it during extended periods of cloudy weather and gray skies.
Light alone didn't do it for me. For a number of years, I went on moderate SSRI antidepressant therapy from late October through early March, roughly when the clocks are set back. It helped immensely.
My ideal lifestyle would be to spend March/September here in the NorHemi and the remainder of the year in Australia in the SoHemi...endless summer.
Curious how my first sober winter will go.
The AD therapy puts a floor under my depressed mood and allows me to exercise and stay busy, which moderates the depression until it's barely noticeable.
That's what works for me Thomas, I'd highly suggest you see a psychiatrist, preferably one who has experience treating addicts/alcoholics, and follow their treatment plan. GPs usually don't have the knowledge or experience to offer effective mood disorder treatment such as for SAD, the good ones will give you a psych referral.