[TombE]

I'm curious if anyone else gets depressed during the cooler months of the year. It's still bright and sunny and in the 70's but it's like my mind just automatically starts reacting to the impending fall/winter seasons. I have already begun to get that feeling of emptiness, yet it starts racing with thoughts. I just get a sense of dread and loneliness. It's like my energy starts draining from my body and I get a sinking feeling. It's disturbing and alarming. I've already put up full spectrum light bulbs that I keep in year around so I don't get that artificial feeling from regular light bulbs. I'm stocked up on vitamins, especially B12. I just can't help but feeling so down. I'm not sure if it's because every fall/winter something traumatic happens to me, whether self-inflicted or not. But usually these events occur because of my depressed episodes. These seasons remind me of bitter regrets in life, which I inflicted on myself due to my depression. can anyone relate? Does anyone have any advice?

[BipolaRNurse]

I usually have the same problem when the angle of the sunlight begins to change in late August. This year, not so much because I'm well-medicated and stable, but I had issues in the past, pretty much every year.

I also have SAD, though I've never been given an official diagnosis. All my issues seem to fall under the big ol' bipolar umbrella. My dawn simulator made a huge difference last winter; my pdoc recommended that over a light box because I'm apt to become manic for any reason or no reason. Still, I'm lucky to get through an entire late fall/winter without a depressive episode, so I very much feel your pain!

[Anika.]

I used to get pretty depressed in the winter months. I live in valley between mountains in Canada, so our winter is cold, long, dark and blanketed in heaps of snow for months. I try to focus on the good parts of these seasons, the trees changing colour, the crisp fresh air, halloween, first magical snowfall of the year, hot cocoa, fires, christmas etc. I have taken up winter sports like snowboarding, skating, sledding so that I don't feel trapped in by the cold and snow. Otherwise that is depressing.

I tend to go way way overboard at halloween and christmas with the decorating and such but it gives me something to focus on that lifts my spirits. It's simple I know, but simple thigs in life can be very good

Perhaps trying not to focus on the traumatic things that have happened,just letting them go and live in the past while you remain in the present and focus on now. Try to let these seasons remind you of something new. It may help to find new things to associate these season to
There is some beauty in winter, the earth starting a new cycle of life. But I always fonding not letting the past predict the future to be very helpful, and sometimes we almost recreate it out of stress and worry, anxiety.

I hope you will have a better experience this fall and winter. You could try a light box or a dawn simulator like Bipolarnurse mentioned. I know many people have talked about how helpful those have been for them. I can really see why they would help.

[TombE]

Thank you both for the advice!

Yea, I've been pretty stable the past year, but I already feel the SAD creeping up on me. I think I'll have to invest in a dawn simulator. I'm already trying to come up with a schedule to keep me occupied and to gain as much daylight as possible. It's usually the nighttime that it hits the most. Trying not to focus on the past is hard, but I will keep trying to push it back. I always try to look forward, just something about the time of year.

Let's hope we can make it through this season without any hiccups. Thanks again for the responses. It's crazy how it affects us with BPD so much. I wish there was a permanent way to kick the winter blues!