Seasonal Affective Disorder

Hey-

God knows what kinds of replies you'll get on this board, so I'll jump in now.

This is real thing, and for some people a pretty serious condition. If you are suffering this badly, than I would suggest talking to a doctor about it. I have known people who used full spectrum lights that imitated sunlight for periods of time each day, with much success. I don't think tanning does much except give you skin cancer.

I live in New England and really have to make an effort to spend some time outside before it gets dark [ie. before 4:00 pm lol] Usually that is enough for me, but during rainy/snowy periods I tend to stay inside and hibernate.

Maybe using an antidepressent during the winter months would help as well? I'm sorry to hear you are having so much trouble, and I really would talk to a doctor about it, because there could be a myriad of reasons this is happening, and SAD is only one possibility.

Good luck!

It for sure is a real condition. I have to make an effort to get outside in the daylight also during the winter, and unfortunately the shortest day of the year is on or about Dec. 21 so Christmas hasn't been as happy a time as I would have liked it to be over they years. My parents always thought I had trouble with Christmas and would call me The Grinch when I was growing up. Moving further south is going to happen for me someday for sure.

Seeing a doctor is a good idea.

I have a friend in Boulder (The sun goes down behind the mountains at what seems like 3:30 during the winter) with SAD, he purchased what he calls his "Happy Light" which simulates natural sunlight, and he claims that it has made a huge difference in his winter mood.

It's real because I suffer from it. It's called affective seasonal disorder or something like that. There's a web site on it, but I can't find it. I'll look when I have some time this afternoon and let you know.

Finding it hard to get out of beds in the morning too? That's part of it. So is the eating. I'll post more later because I have to get to a meeting, but surround yourself with bright light. I have extra lamps in my office just for that. The natural lights are good too, but are expensive.

I'll post more later.

Try some of these links:

http://www.outsidein.co.uk/sadinfo.htm

http://www.mentalhealth.com/book/p40-sad.html

http://www.lighttherapyproducts.com/

Damn long meetings. Talk to you later.

I've been dealing with various stages of depression since my teens (I'm 41 now), and the seasonal apect seems to have gotten worse. I'm taking vitamin P (Prozac) since 1997, and increase the dosage from late December to March 1. I tend to be okay until after the holidays, but this year it does seem to be kicking in a bit earlier (the fact that I hate my job might be part of that, lol). During the "darker" months, I also occassionally go to a tanning salon and fake bake...I think the light while doing that does the same thing for me as those natural light devices do, and people ask me if I've been on vacation. Spring will come again.

I envy people who can get out of bed & hammer a morning run, but with this condition it's hard to even get up in the first place. The term "Velcro'd to the bed" comes to mind.

don't mean to pat myself on the back too much here, but you may be interested in the post i made titled "kWh/m²/day".

Learn the relaxation response. Buy Benson's book, mediate 20 minutes twice a day and you'll start feeling better. The relaxation response is transcendental meditation with the Hinduism taken out of it. Its quite well documented scientifically and easy to learn. The benefits are cumulative so be patient at first.

http://www.mbmi.org/Default.asp