Anyone here have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?

[4forMe]

Does anyone have any experience with this disorder? I really believe I have it. My roommate from college told me a couple of years ago how hard I was to live with during the winter months (only a close friend could get away with saying this)

This year it is starting earlier. We have had near record levels of rainy days this month and very little sunshine. I have no energy, no desire to go to the gym or do any other activities. I usually put on 10-15 pounds during this time of the year and then spend the spring and summer working it off. I absolutely do not feel like this during the spring and summer months which is why I'm thinking it's Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Has anyone tried the light therapy? I really think I need to look into this. I can't spend the next 6 months feeling this way.

Any helpful tips would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[rie'smom]

While I've never been officially diagnosed, I would say yes that I do. Low pressure systems also give me headaches. Talk to your doctor about it.

 

[MdmMim]

I am just the opposite--I get depressed when there is nothing but sunshine, day after day, after day. When I wake up in the morning and the sun is out, I just want to cover my head with blankets and go back to sleep.

When it rains, I am very happy!

 

[KristinBelle]

I did until I moved to Florida.

 

[Denine]

I have it and I have it BAD! I take antidepressents. They are the only relief I get. My DH notices changes on a day to day basis if we go from sunny to cloudy. We live near Lake Erie and it is cloud most of the time. I would love to move south, but it is not in the cards yet.

I do much better in Florida where the sun lives!

 

[4forMe]

I have it and I have it BAD! I take antidepressents. They are the only relief I get. My DH notices changes on a day to day basis if we go from sunny to cloudy. We live near Lake Erie and it is cloud most of the time. I would love to move south, but it is not in the cards yet.

I do much better in Florida where the sun lives!

I completely understand about doing better in Florida! DH can't understand my love affair with Florida. I think I need to plan a spring break trip with the kids. Last year it rained our entire spring break here at home. I knew of 4 families that were in Florida at that time and the weather was perfect!

I guess it's time to go see my doc. As I said before, I'm at the point where I need to get some treatment.

 

[VillageMama]

I'm pushing 40 and I've known that I suffer from SAD since I was 18. If I had been wiser, I might have moved south early on. But life has us enmeshed in Michigan, so I've developed some coping strategies...

1) I use a full spectrum light box that sits on my computer desk.

2) We spend the month of February in Florida. That sounds extravagant but for what most DISers spend for a week at WDW, we spend to rent a modest house for a month (and don't do theme parks).

3) Some winters are worse than others. If there are other stressors going on in my life, I might need anti-depressants to get by.

4) This year I am trying 2,000 - 5,000 IUs of Vitamin D per day. I've heard promising things about Vitamin D and depression (and the flu!).

Best wishes to you! I think you need to develop a coping strategy before things get too bad. The only "solution" is to live somewhere sunnier but there are other techniques that can ease the gloom.

 

[momrek06]

I don't have SAD but I will say I lived my whole life in New England. We have had some absolutely horrific winters with dark deary days and some intensely dark deary rainy wet summers.

We recently moved to Southern California with DH's job and I will tell you there is absolutely nothing more healing to ME than sunshine all day, every day, 24/7. It is such a beautiful part of the this country.

I am just the opposite--I get depressed when there is nothing but sunshine, day after day, after day. When I wake up in the morning and the sun is out, I just want to cover my head with blankets and go back to sleep.

When it rains, I am very happy!

Wow, really?

My family in New England endured the worst summer ever with rain almost DAILY from May to August. Any summer outside plans anyone would attempt to make where ruined by the rain.

I will mention to all those heading to Florida for your sun....here in SoCal we have sun 24/7 BUT we do NOT have that horrific humidity that Florida has.... Come to SoCal.

 

[snowy76]

This year I am trying 2,000 - 5,000 IUs of Vitamin D per day. I've heard promising things about Vitamin D and depression (and the flu!).

My vitamin D levels were borderline low this summer, so I've been on supplements. Also on a mild antidepressent. The combination has worked pretty well for me; my DH says my mood has changed like night and day.

I think it's really the vitamin D that makes the major difference for me. Earlier in the month I went to WDW for a few days and I felt almost euphoric for a week after I got home - I seriously think it was the constant sun exposure in my system. Then I ran out of D supplements and for the few days without, I was pretty "off" even with the antidepressant.

It helps to have a doctor who will really listen to you and who believes you know yourself best. The hardest thing was to tell my doc I thought I was depressed and he was sooooo supportive from the start.

 

[2binak]

Pretty sure I have it too. Every Fall (late Oct) I start to get very upset about the weather changing, the daylight decreasing and the thought of the long, cold, dark Winter approaching. I beg DH to move us someplace warm & sunny, but I know it's a knee-jerk reaction to the season and it's simply not something we can do right now and not without alot of planning.

I've gotten to where we keep as many lights on as possible when we are home and I've been taking extra Vitamin D. Unfortunately, we had a very rainy Summer so I think my SAD started even earlier this year (early Sept!).

 

[drag n' fly]

I get it every year. Living in Canada is tough lol! I take 2000mg of Vitamin D every day. I also bought one of those portable blue therapy lights from Costco last year and combined I feel a thousand times better

 

[SydneyFalco]

I get it every year. Living in Canada is tough lol! I take 2000mg of Vitamin D every day. I also bought one of those portable blue therapy lights from Costco last year and combined I feel a thousand times better

Yeah, my wife's doing the Vitamin D like heroin, and my best friend has the lamp.

The wife and I also have in our bedroom the "slow wake" type of alarm clock that incrementally brings up the light in the bedroom to wake you. But I think of that as less a seasonal thing and just a nice way to wake up.

I wasn't aware of the seasonal thing until about two years years ago. In my twenties and early thirties, I was completely oblivious.

These past two weeks I've found it harder to motivate myself to work out when I get home from work at around 5:30, or to tend my blog, and I think that's the weather/dark.

 

[drag n' fly]

Yeah, my wife's doing the Vitamin D like heroin, and my best friend has the lamp.

The wife and I also have in our bedroom the "slow wake" type of alarm clock that incrementally brings up the light in the bedroom to wake you. But I think of that as less a seasonal thing and just a nice way to wake up.

I wasn't aware of the seasonal thing until about two years years ago. In my twenties and early thirties, I was completely oblivious.

These past two weeks I've found it harder to motivate myself to work out when I get home from work at around 5:30, or to tend my blog, and I think that's the weather/dark.

I found it hit me earlier this year. We did not get our "indian summer" here in Calgary this year, it just went from warm to freezing cold The alarm clock thing sound cool. My kids could use that lol

 

[VillageMama]

Yeah, my wife's doing the Vitamin D like heroin,

I read that just as I was popping another Vitamin D gummy!

Snowy76, thanks for sharing your experience with Vitamin D. It's interesting to hear from someone who has tried it.

 

[4forMe]

Thanks for all the tips! I think this weekend I will be out in search of the therapy lamp and Vitamin D.

Thanks again!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

While I've never been officially diagnosed, I would say yes that I do. Low pressure systems also give me headaches. Talk to your doctor about it.

I feel the same way. Today is a big headache day.

I have taught myself a few tips that might sound silly but might be worth a try. Flameless candles with a timer set so they go off before your due home. I also do the same with a few lamps.

The owner of the salon I go to has used light therapy....I don't know what it entails but last year was 100% turn around from the year before.

 

[lovepurple]

I thought I had SAD for years and finally talked to my doctor about it. She checked my vitamin D levels and they were almost nonexistent. I now take a prescription for vitamin D and feel like a completely different person.

 

[Cinerbelle]

[/QUOTE]here in SoCal we have sun 24/7 BUT we do NOT have that horrific humidity that Florida has.... Come to SoCal. [/QUOTE]

I live in SoCal and froze today!

 

[momrek06]

I live in SoCal and froze today!

Well I am new here, from New England. My blood is still very thick. Today was awesome. Bright beautiful SUN all day long.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

I think I have it also. It has been raining here and dark out. I have no energy to get out of bed in the morning. Once I'm up, I don't feel like doing anything either. This morning I took the kids to school and came home with a big headache. I actually got back in bed until 10 when I had to pick up me Preker. If the sun is shining though it's a different story- I feel great and actually get things accomplished. I keep telling my Dh i am not going to survive the winter. I wish we could move South.