It’s mid-January in Sindh. The air is finally polite. Your wardrobe is thriving. Sunsets disappear before you’ve finished pretending you’re “on top of things.”
You’re functioning—but with the emotional energy of a phone on 7% battery. Many people assume the “winter blues” end with December. But winter doesn’t leave just because the calendar flips. Neither does its impact on your mood.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that follows a seasonal rhythm. It usually appears in late fall or winter and eases when daylight returns.
This isn’t just feeling sleepy because the weather is pleasant. SAD can look like a low mood that lingers. Energy doesn’t return even after rest. Sleep increases. Cravings feel urgent. Focus slips—but scrolling somehow doesn’t. Human brains are creative like that.
This isn’t only a “cold country” issue. A Pakistan-based epidemiological study published in 2022 found that 20% of participants experienced winter blues. Several individuals in the sample met criteria for winter depression.
Zooming in on Sindh adds more context. A large Karachi clinic-based study published in 2024 surveyed 9,331 adults attending peri-urban primary care clinics. Data was collected between July 2022 and June 2023.
The sample isn’t all of Karachi, but it reflects everyday healthcare visits. The study reported substantial moderate-to-severe depression in specific groups. Among unemployed participants, prevalence reached 25.5%.
At a national level, a 2025 article in JPMA referenced Pakistan’s National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (2022). It reported a current weighted prevalence of 32.28% for psychiatric disorders. That’s roughly one in three adults at any given time.
If the heaviness lasts two weeks or more, it matters. If it shows up every winter, it matters. If it quietly interferes with sleep, work, relationships, or motivation, it matters.
This is health—not personality. You don’t need to reach a breaking point to deserve support.
One low-friction option is Tele-Tabeeb 1123. It’s built for moments like this. You get a calm, professional check-in without turning your day into a logistical task.
SIEHS describes Tele-Tabeeb as a service with continuous accessibility across Pakistan. It’s supported by medical professionals and counsellors, with a clear focus on confidentiality.
Sometimes the first step isn’t a full life reset. Sometimes it’s one conversation. One call can help you name what’s happening—and start moving out of it.
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