Seasonal Affective Disorder?

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M

MissCris

Guest
#1
#1
Also known as seasonal depression, SAD, winter blues...

I'm just wondering if any of you guys experience this, and if so:

-When does it usually begin for you?
-How can you tell it's set in?
-What do you do to counteract it?
-When does it seem to start getting better?

Any experience y'all have, whether first-hand or because you know someone with this, I'd love to hear about :)


 
JesusChica1991

JesusChica1991

Banned
#2
May 9, 2012
1,514
25
0
#2
It happens for me usually in November to January in the coolest months. I can tell it's set in when I'm in my room for a while, tired a lot, and just...downright bored. I take an OTC Vitamin D 5,000 IU every 3 days but sometimes when I feel blue I increase it. Also, just force yourself to get out despite the cold if you can help it. It helps reduce the cabin fever syndrome we all get in the winter. I start getting better around early February. We'll see how different this year is though because it's supposed to be a colder winter for the majority of the USA than last year...and people thought THAT alone was cold enough. I'd start stocking up on lots of tea and cocoas if I were you :D
 
Fenner

Fenner

Senior Member
#3
Jan 26, 2013
7,507
111
0
#3
I think my Mom has it, although she'd rathe walk over hot coals then admit it. I notice around Mid December she becomes depressed amd more emotional. She's 75, so the hormonal thing is out. Even my stepfather has noticed. She's very active and when it's to cold for her to walk outside it really effects her.

I have tried talkimg her into talking to someone about it but she really isn't into shari g feelings. I think she sees it as a sign of weakness. My Grandmother always said my Mom was not an emotional person. She'd say she's a cold Swede. I think her fix is having my stepfather drive her to q mall to spend money.
 
N

Nicee

Guest
#4
#4
Mine usually starts around late november. I can tell bc i dont feel like getting up in d morning. MMM counteracting it--- idk i just brave heart through it lol. Get better around late January or end of football season. I started having it after i moved 2 d city i im in now. It's an environmental thing 4 me.
 
Theygaveutheirworst

Theygaveutheirworst

Senior Member
#5
Jun 25, 2010
707
9
18
37
#5
I wish we could hibernate like bears during winter!

A couple of years ago I had it worse than usual. I really didn't have the passion to do anything but go home after work and go to bed every day. It's so weird how our body needs a certain amount of sun light each day to combat depression! I was really thinking about buying one of those special lamps that duplicates sun light- or something along that line. I love-and will miss- my extra two hours of sun light starting next week.:/

Signed,
An addict of the light
 
Nautilus

Nautilus

Senior Member
#6
Jun 29, 2012
6,488
53
48
#6
I actually get pumped up for fall and winter, they are my two favorite seasons. NOw summertime blues, yeah thats a thing
 
A

arwen-undomiel

Guest
#7
#7
I dunno if would be officially considered SAD. My meds already take a toll, high chance of depression and anxiety due to them. Already on an anti-depressant now. I was feeling super drained and tired all the time since starting my new med in August. A week or two ago, I began taking high dose of Vitamin D3 (among a few other vitamins), and I got some energy back. Made a difference.
 
M

MissCris

Guest
#8
#8
Nautilus said:
I actually get pumped up for fall and winter, they are my two favorite seasons. NOw summertime blues, yeah thats a thing
Click to expand...
That's what's really weird about it, for me- I love both fall and winter. I like the cooler temperatures, and the holidays, and the colors and the snow and all the fall/winter "treats" that don't make a lot of sense for the rest of the year...they're my two favorite seasons, too.

But the lack of light...yeah. When I wake up at 7 a.m. and it's still dark outside, and then the sun sets so early...it just gets to me.

You're right, though, about summertime seasonal depression being a real thing. It's less common, but does happen.
 
JesusChica1991

JesusChica1991

Banned
#9
May 9, 2012
1,514
25
0
#9
I'm like Nautilus. I LOVE the cold temps and colors and snow and everything....but I miss the sunlight that came with summer.
 
Searching4Truth

Searching4Truth

Senior Member
#10
Jul 25, 2012
1,904
24
0
#10
MissCris said:
Also known as seasonal depression, SAD, winter blues...

I'm just wondering if any of you guys experience this, and if so:

-When does it usually begin for you?
-How can you tell it's set in?
-What do you do to counteract it?
-When does it seem to start getting better?

Any experience y'all have, whether first-hand or because you know someone with this, I'd love to hear about :)
Click to expand...
-Usually in late fall to winter.
-I'm a lot more moody, and sensitive.
-I honestly didn't know seasonal depression was a thing up until recently. I'm looking into light boxes, and vitamins.
-It usually depends on the days and current situations. I can cope with it, but it's harder when things go downhill fast.

I was always a lot more moody during the colder winter seasons. When you live in the North, things are going to be tough. Especially when you have to harvest trees for a wood stove. I noticed with myself, when the sun is out, I'm a lot more cheerful? Well, my mood isn't so intense as it is during the warmer seasons. It just feels easier going through day when the sky is clear. I honestly thought it was based on the fact that I was born in the summer, but looking back, I think the seasonal changes have been effecting my mood.

Might explain one of several reasons why I wanted to get myself killed. But, in light of this new found evidence, I think it may help me cope and handle myself in more of a proper manner.

I used to get these angry outbursts during the months of September to January. Depending on the situations at hand. I have real problem of letting things go. Especially when I really feel it... Like, on the inside.

It seemed to be harder when I was a teenager. The hormones, pressures, sensitivities, bitter family members, etc, etc.

I feel like I'm rambling. :p
 
lil_christian

lil_christian

Senior Member
#11
Mar 14, 2010
7,489
73
48
27
#11
MissCris said:
Also known as seasonal depression, SAD, winter blues...

I'm just wondering if any of you guys experience this, and if so:

-When does it usually begin for you?
-How can you tell it's set in?
-What do you do to counteract it?
-When does it seem to start getting better?

Any experience y'all have, whether first-hand or because you know someone with this, I'd love to hear about :)
Click to expand...
I think I just overall have depression, but certain times of the year are better than others. I always feel better during the summer when I get more sunlight. For me, late spring and throughout most of summer, I just feel better. Much more free from that weight. When it starts cooling down and I'm out less, I notice a huge difference. Some of it due to not doing as much, some of it just due to not getting enough sunlight and just being around people. But late fall and all throughout winter is when it's at its worst. Even the past few Christmases have just been...blah. This one will probably be the worst. I'd rather not think about that. Back on subject.

I just try to get out and do things. I try not to just settle for staying inside my house all the time.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#12
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
8,156
113
#12
Seasonal affective disorder: Not to be confused with seasonal affectionate disorder, which usually happens in the spring, or seasonal infective disorder, when that one guy comes to work with a cold and soon everyone at work has one...

Some people get blue because Christmas is coming, and with Christmas comes a lot of pressure: Pressure to join in a lot of stuff, pressure to be here and be there, pressure to buy stuff for people, pressure to get the right thing that they'll just love... Some get down about this time of year because of Christmas merchandising and they don't realize it. They just think "It's one of those things, I just get a bit blue at this time of year, must be because it's winter."

Then again, some are less active just because it's winter. The urge to... well, not to hibernate exactly, but to slow down and rest more... is stronger in some than in others. But they feel they should be as active as everyone else, so they try to explain away their lack of motivation by assuming they're down about something.
 
JesusLives

JesusLives

Senior Member
#13
Oct 11, 2013
14,551
2,171
113
#13
Here in Florida the Blond would like to report that we have SING-Q.......which stands for SUN IN GREAT-QUANTITIES....
 
Grace-Like-Rain

Grace-Like-Rain

Senior Member
#14
Sep 6, 2013
4,430
117
63
#14
Lynx said:
Seasonal affective disorder: Not to be confused with seasonal affectionate disorder, which usually happens in the spring,
Click to expand...
I actually thought the title read "Seasonal Affectionate Disorder" too. Winter is coming... it's cuddle time! :p
 
S

Shouryu

Guest
#15
#15
Grace-Like-Rain said:
I actually thought the title read "Seasonal Affectionate Disorder" too. Winter is coming... it's cuddle time! :p
Click to expand...
*raises an eyebrow*
*begins to say something about this coming winter*
*hesitates*
*closes mouth, goes back to corner*
 
M

MissCris

Guest
#18
#18
Searching4Truth said:
-Usually in late fall to winter.
-I'm a lot more moody, and sensitive.
-I honestly didn't know seasonal depression was a thing up until recently. I'm looking into light boxes, and vitamins.
-It usually depends on the days and current situations. I can cope with it, but it's harder when things go downhill fast.

I was always a lot more moody during the colder winter seasons. When you live in the North, things are going to be tough. Especially when you have to harvest trees for a wood stove. I noticed with myself, when the sun is out, I'm a lot more cheerful? Well, my mood isn't so intense as it is during the warmer seasons. It just feels easier going through day when the sky is clear. I honestly thought it was based on the fact that I was born in the summer, but looking back, I think the seasonal changes have been effecting my mood.

Might explain one of several reasons why I wanted to get myself killed. But, in light of this new found evidence, I think it may help me cope and handle myself in more of a proper manner.

I used to get these angry outbursts during the months of September to January. Depending on the situations at hand. I have real problem of letting things go. Especially when I really feel it... Like, on the inside.

It seemed to be harder when I was a teenager. The hormones, pressures, sensitivities, bitter family members, etc, etc.

I feel like I'm rambling. :p
Click to expand...
I really appreciate you posting this; I don't know that very many people take seasonal depression all that seriously, mostly they just brush it off as winter or holiday blues. Granted, yeah, the people who have SAD can have it to varying degrees- for some people they just feel a little off or down, for others, it's much worse, like what you talked about.

I didn't know what to call it until just recently, but I've had it every fall/winter since I was 18 or so. And every year, I start out feeling restless but exhausted all the time, and annoyed at everyone around me. As it goes on, I start finding reasons to be angry- sometimes justified, but mostly not. But these thoughts start...eating at me...until I'm convinced that my entire life is total crap, and the only way to fix it is to run away and start over.

My mind plays these tricks on me all winter.

I wasn't like this as a kid, as a teenager. Anyone from my family would say that I was a ray of sunshine, I was always happy and bubbly and optimistic. And I still feel that way, in spring and summer. I feel energetic, and like anything is possible. But when the days start getting shorter...I lose that. I start dreading the day, I stop bothering with most of the housework until it reaches emergency level, I snap at everyone, and I retreat into my own head and it honestly feels like a prison, a cage I can't get out of.

I spent most of the day yesterday researching SAD (gosh what a "cute" acronym), and light therapy boxes, and what vitamins and foods can help. I ordered a light box last night that will be here tomorrow, plus a few lightbulbs for the lamp by my chair that emulate sunshine. I'm really excited to try this- if it doesn't work, well, no harm done (except maybe being out 80 bucks...), but if it helps...! Almost all the reviews I read for most of the light boxes I looked at were good, so here's hoping it works for me.

It's a huge relief to know what this is, and how to fight it.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who shared :)
 
K

kenthomas27

Guest
#19
#19
i think the mortality rates peak in December through February.
 
lncy

lncy

Senior Member
#20
Jun 16, 2014
117
2
18
#20
-When does it usually begin for you?
October/November

-How can you tell it's set in?
I stop wanting to do the things I usually love doing, like training or reading. I tend to stay inside more and don't want to socialise. But it has a pretty slow, insidious onset.

-What do you do to counteract it?
Force myself out of the house to the gym and get some cardio in. I also talk to one of my sisters when I'm having a really bad day.

-When does it seem to start getting better?
Around March
 
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