Any advice for dealing with SAD?

I know winter is almost over, but since I'm in the upper midwest it'll stay "winter"ish here for atleast another month.
This winter has been the worst when it comes to my SAD, probably because my anxiety and depression arent as bad. I wanted to know some ways I could help with this? Thanks

Hello thetheft.

There are people who purchase this special lights that help them with SAD. Some of those people swear by them.

It is called phototherapy and the lightboxes used for 30 minutes a day. Apparently, though lightboxes could cause mania in people with bipolar disease.

And SSRIs type antidepressants are usually used to treat it as well.

Acupuncture is useful for pregnant women.

Light boxes are standard for SAD and they work if you use it right for you. There used to be an online assessment that would give you an appropriate schedule, but I think they took it down a few years ago. It's based on your circadian rhythm. If your circadian rhythm is delayed (you tend to stay up late at night and have trouble waking up on time), you need bright light in the morning. If you have advanced circadian rhythm (tired in the evening, waking up too early), you need bright light in the afternoon.

Sunlight is as good or better, even on a cloudy day, if you get yourself outside into the sun, even if it is cold, at the right times consistently. Light diluted through a window might not be good enough.

Bipolar disorder can be managed using dark therapy - eight hours of complete dark or only yellow light on a consistent schedule every night.

Exercise also helps. Carb craving can be one symptom of SAD. Food is the number one most abused anti-anxiety drug in America. Exercise is the number one under-utilized anti-depressant.

Treatments that work for other types of depression also help for SAD, and light therapy has also shown benefits for non-seasonal depression.

I have been suffering with depression my whole life, on paxil since 2004. I recently moved from sunny SoCal to Portland OR (GOD knows why...) and I found myself really depressed again (during the cold and dark winter) so for the first time in my life I bought a SAD lamp. I feel like it worked really well, though other factors have recently brought my to my knees as far as my depression. You really have nothing to lose by trying - here is the model I purchased

from amazon: search Day-light Sky

hope this helps