[misse]

Hey all,
just wanted to hear if anyone out there has experience of seasonal affective disorder? I have not experienced many northern hemisphere winters so I am trying to work out if my depression is regular depression or could be SAD. I had bad depression last winter (already had it twice before) and since then I have had a range of random symptoms- sneezing, aches, feeling overly tired or cold, bad moods and stuff like that- not life threatening but just annoying and never seem to go away for very long, or get worse (eg if I was getting a virus) Anyway I'd be interested to hear your experiences with this condition.
thanks!

[silver_moon]

I don't know whether you have to be diagnosed with SAD but my depression is ALWAYS worse through the winter... I really do believe that being in the sun is one of the greatest natural remedies to depression (well it's a source of vitamin D isn't it?). The only thing is, we (in the U.K.) don't seem to be having the greatest of summers lately either. I dread winter coming round because I can't stand it... it's dark all the time, it's cold and miserable. You leave for work in the morning and it's dark.... and by the time you leave work it's started getting dark again! You can't get out of the house 'cause the weather's terrible.... and then there's christmas too.

I don't know where the symptoms of sneezing, aches, feeling overly tired or cold, bad moods comes into it? I just thought that they were the typical things that winter brought?

Sorry if I weren't much help to you,
Molly

[mlpHolmes]

Hi Misse!!
Yep I experience SAD. I was really down in the winter till my therapist prescribed Light Therapy. In winter it's dark at ~ 4:30pm, pitch dark by 5:00pm ugh! so I put my lights on ~ 4:30pm and turn it off ~1/2 hr. before bedtime. Wow do I notice a huge difference. At first when the Dr. suggessted the lights I was skeptical but he said give it a chance. My mood totally changed for the better!!!! Your other symptoms: sneezing, aches,tiredness, feeling cold,I don't think are part of SAD. But Mood? It's Awesome! Initially a little expensive but the light bulbs last for ~ 5 yrs. The light box itself I've had mine since 1984! Hope this helps.

I have SAD and every winter, I fall into a funk. During the summertime, I am on a bit of an environmental high ... always longing to be outside in the sunshine.

I discovered last winter, that I did not experience the usual depression and coincidentally, I had been going to a gym. Exercise will do alot for SAD. whether it is done at a gym or you use your own residence to work out in, work out. It will definitely help the depression.

[Wishmouse]

Is insomnia part of SAD?

[314159pi]

insomnia is definitely part of depression. or as my docs would say 'poor sleep hygiene.'
this s.a.d. is not a northern hemisphere problem right now because we are in summer. but there are therapies specific to s.a.d. one of them is purchasing a big ticket item called a 'lightbox.'
you are supposed to sit under this thing a few minutes a day. my headshrinker says it works.
i use a cheaper solution: some lighting stores sell special incandescent light bulbs for about triple the price of a normal bulb. these light bulbs are purple-ish and are called 'full-spectrum' light bulbs. i have one in my bedroom and i read by it year round.
i have to admit that i am a bit of an amateur vampire. no i don't lurk around giving hickies to goth girls but if you know any who are interested i am game. what i mean is that because i am very fair-skinned and red haired that i am naturally supersensitive to the sun. also this sensitivity is aggravated by psychopharmacological agents (wow i spelled that!). so i have a habit of staying up later, going to bed later and taking doses of vitamin d with my evening meds because i don't believe my body is going to normally make enough d as i avoid the sun. keeping a good but not overdosed d level and folic acid level helps me keep depression at bay year round. my sad is much diminished to what it once was. And that is how i do it. my biggest problem from this regimen is that i sleep more than most persons should. but i can't hang that on the fancy light bulb and vitamin d. you can try this and see if it helps you. of course i recommend you also try ingrid/daves idea about exercise although when i am depressed exercise seems to be an impossible solution because the energy isn't there. practically exercise is a good prophylaxis and it helps deal with the weight gain from ssri-s. but once you get depressed exercise is just another nothing-doing corporation.
good luck
pi