sad - patterns

HI SPIRAL STAIRS. I do notice patterns in my moods that happens in the winter.
I awake early 4am sometimes 5. Don't have an appetite. Lost 27lbs. No interest in anything.
General lehtargy and don't always think clearly.
but from around 4:30 to 8pm I seam to be better.
I don't like it when there are alot of people around. I always go out with my hubby so I don't have to cope with people. I stay away from social groups. Except for the YMCA I can cope with that because they all know I have sad and how to be with me.
All of mine only happen in the winter. Spring summer and fall I am always busy but winter I don't like going out to much even though it is boring.
I don't have many friends in the winter. But they all come back to me in the spring.

My pattern is somewhat the same as yours, spiral, in that I don't want to get up in the mornings while it is still dark or even if it is a really gray day. If the day is gray, I feel extremely lethargic and muddle-minded. But as twilight comes, I feel even worse and it is downhill all the way from there. I don't feel particularly anxious around people when I am forced into a social situation, but I just don't want to be in social situations because I find being around people most irritating and not worth the trouble, and it takes a tremendous effort to interact socially. So, I try to avoid all social situations that I can. If it is just family who I feel close to, it is okay, but nobody else.

I am not having a good day think we did to much. Out to the ymca then shopping. I am nerved out and tired but do to insomnia can't sleep. What a day.

Sandy
I always feel better after the sun goes down I don't know why but it is wierd. I seem to purk up a bit. Today was to much but now that I am home and settled down things aren't as bad but then again tomorrow is another day.

Spiral Stairs you just described my patterns perfectly so no need for me to explain my patterns lol, i also feel alot better at night aswell usually.

I often feel a little better in the evening, perhaps its because im to tired to worry about anything and just switch off, also I only take my tablets at night and they make me feel drowsy.

I've come to the conclusion that perhaps we may be descended from a Transylvanian Family! :o) I too, feel much calmer and more 'normal' once the sun has gone down. Would be interesting to find out why.

I've always thought I feel better at night cos then it is meant to be dark, and during the day I feel out of sorts cos it's not as light as I would like it to be!

Also, at night I dont have to leave the house/interact with people so I think I relax more as Im not contantly thinking about the "what if's" & worrying how to deal with things like a normal person!

I qualified in massage quite a few years ago, then did a sports massage course. I always found that on the whole fellas delivered a better quality of massage... providing they looked after their hands! There were a couple of guys I loved to have working on me in class when we practised. There was also one I avoided like the plague, he had little sharp bits of skin/nail!

Jen, that's a good point. I always feel frustrated in the day if it's too dark but at night it's fine. Also, I know it's nearly time for bed at night so I don't have to deal with anything until the next day.

Me too SGL, I feel agitated in the day but more relaxed at night. A walk definitely helps, it must be hard with those snow storms though!

We're having snow in London tomorrow apparently, but don't think it'll be like in Canada. It will probably turn to slush by lunchtime! That's England for you.

No snow here, but it's effin' freezin'! Fortunately I have lots to do in the house. In the interests of economy I'm using the food that's already in the house. Think I will do a freezer audit, that should help.

have some 'dead' bananas, so will make muffins. Would you like raisins or choc chips in with them?

... but first the washing up I was too tired (read 'lazy' !LOL!) to do last night!

#wouldnt that be just marvellous. If someone had a good day, they could pass some food through the computer to help the others.

Best not rush for mine though, tried to make some healthy soup, but it tastes green and hot. Must be the wrong type of cabbage, as it was lovely last time.

Hey Hoe, kids had pasta instead.

Me x

haven't baked in months. Don't feel like it at all. Couldn't eat it anyway that what you get with reverse sad symptoms.

Don't worry about the outpouring Gillian, there are some good listeners here on the SAD forum. Even if they aren't listening, just the act of you writing down how you are feeling is like talking to someone and sharing the problem.

I found that SAD crept up on me over a number of years. If I think back to bad times/difficult situations, they've all happened over the winter... Dec-Feb largely.

I wouldn't recommend anyone takes medication. THe reason for this is that I'm not qualified to prescribe. I can tell you how it was for me, but not qualified to judge your situation. Your GP should have your best interests at heart. If you feel he/she doesn't, then maybe it's time to change GP.

But not all SSRIs will give a particular person a particular side effect. There are many here who are happy taking their med thru the winter to counter their SAD. Many people (me included) didn't settle with the first med tried and tried another one. You WILL hear a lot of bad press about medication, but it's only the people that are dissatisfied for whatever reason we tend to hear about, very rarely do we hear about the happy customers.

Other people take different approaches. If a nutritional approach is what you favour then there is a thread on that.

Many members here use light therapy effectively to control the symptoms of SAD. There is lots of information about this on this site in other sections.

Many people find that getting outside and/or exercise help them to cope.

I guess, but don't know, but most people use a combination of these strategies.

I missed one.... Chocolate seems to be a coping strategy... LOL.. but don't tell the Food Police I said so !

Hope you feel better soon. Lots of people here will give their opinion if asked, but do remember, it's only their experience, anecdote and what we read on the internet. Check stuff out first.

Following on from yesterday's thread..... 2 minutes and the muffins will be ready. Sorry I couldn't find the chocolate chips, so it's raisins. And a coffee I guess to go with it! WIll have to get the rest in the freezer pdq for ds's lunch boxes!

Oh Gillian - tell me about it!!

Ive got 3 kids. My husband works long and late, so I feel like a single parent. Ive had SAD for as long as I can remember.

I find evenings a real struggle, as ive tried to stay awake all day. When it comes to bedtime chores, Im can be at my wits end. I can not allow my older kids to join scouts and swimming club, cos Im just not in a fit state to drive in the late evening. Im shattered then. Also when Im tired,I start to get complexes that people do not like me, which really bothers me (doesnt bother me when Im ok cos thats their problem not mine) - I know its my mind playing tricks so its best not to put myself into that situation.

Babysitters are hard to come by.

Getting exercise is probably my most important need. If i dont get it I put weight on amazingly quickly. It lifts my mood and keeps me awake(for a while). If you dont feel like it - that is the best time to do it, youll get more out of it. Once youve started its easier to keep going. Leave it for two or three days, and youll be finding excuses not to again. People know me now, so I quite often get dragged into exercise classes, running after dropping my kids off. I just make sure that I keep my stuff in the car ready, cos if I find an excuse not to, I wont!

Put yourself first sometimes. If you are happier, your little girl will be happy too.

When i started my SSRI (now stopped) I felt great straight away, but hey I am a strange one and extremely sensitive to things. At the moment I cant even take alcohol as I feel so fuzzy and have a strange head that I just dont like - that just after one glass of white wine!

On a positive note, my local health club as again asked my to send in my cv so that I can cover aerobic/step instructor absences. Havent taught in ages, so a little worried, but I know that by the time April comes, Ill be as high as a kite.

Take care flower

Me x

Nick
Depression can be linked with SAD, but you can have it independently too.

I find that if I have let my SAD get the better of me, then the depression starts, and I get lower and lower. It is now terribly clear to me that I tended to cope with this situation until my depression was so low that I was rock bottom. It was only then that I reached out for help - after all I didnt want to trouble them with my silly SAD problem. I felt that I should be able to deal with it.

I suppose youve gotta be ready to ask for help and therefore will see it as a weight lift and not a weigh down.

After going through this pattern, year after year, I try now to deal with it early on. Ive resigned myself that I will always have it, how I deal with it is up to me.

For your interest
my SAD symtoms are carb craving, weight gain, an unrelenting tiredness, preferring to stay at home, thoughts that prove that people dont like me. Hyperactivity (and the opposite of the above) in Spring.

my depression starts when:
I cant cope or organise tasks anymore, eat less, have flat thoughts, do not taking part in life -i just watch, do not enjoying the things that I love doing, sobbing inside my head from time to time, cant give affection cos Im given my all already, and I certainly dont like myself.

These arnt official symptoms, they are mine, but they may feel familiar to you. When I have SAD I can deal with it with exercise, light, diet, sleep etc.

When It turns to depression, thats when i need help, just the idea that there is a support network out there helps me. If they dont want to support me, then blow them -they cant be that good!!. Dont forget to have a chat with your doctor again if you need too.

If im bad, my kids know about it alright! I just tell them that I need help from my special team at the moment (meaning them). ~They all rally round and help with chores which really helps.

Take care Nick. I think that most of us have already been to where you are now. Just look around and you might see some 'i woz ere' signs, I know Ive left a few.

I hope this helps, Im not sure whether it was to help you and others, or to get my ole feelings off my chest as im feeling much better this year, after a really rocky start.

Good Luck

Me x

My DS is already my 'special'. He always seeems to know when I need extra support... usually in the form of hugs!

Gillian

Thanks for your message. Thats two thank you messages Ive picked up today.

Im embarrassed, but quite proud that my troubles can help others.

Wishing you tons of light. its only a few weeks till March - yippppeeeeee!

Start the countdown 10...9...8...7...6...5...
(I must be having a hyper day sorry)

Me x