Seasonal Affective Disorder
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 684
I live in western Oregon where we may only see the sun for very brief moments from mid October-April, though some years are better than others. It rained almost every day of this past December.
You've gotten a lot of good suggestions, vitamin D and exercise are especially beneficial for me. One thing I haven't seen anyone suggest is to change your household light bulbs over to ones that are daylight mimicking. I don't even mean the high end full spectrum incandescent bulbs, I just use daylight mimicking compact fluorescent ones, but they still seem to help. I've never used a lightbox, though I know they make a difference for a lot of people, but I suspect using these bulbs instead of regular ones in all of my light fixtures has a similar impact, maybe even a better one, since the exposure to the light is a lot more comparable to the kind of ongoing daily exposure you would have to sunlight, as opposed to 20 minutes sitting in front of a light box.
Thankfully, the days are already getting longer.
You've gotten a lot of good suggestions, vitamin D and exercise are especially beneficial for me. One thing I haven't seen anyone suggest is to change your household light bulbs over to ones that are daylight mimicking. I don't even mean the high end full spectrum incandescent bulbs, I just use daylight mimicking compact fluorescent ones, but they still seem to help. I've never used a lightbox, though I know they make a difference for a lot of people, but I suspect using these bulbs instead of regular ones in all of my light fixtures has a similar impact, maybe even a better one, since the exposure to the light is a lot more comparable to the kind of ongoing daily exposure you would have to sunlight, as opposed to 20 minutes sitting in front of a light box.
Thankfully, the days are already getting longer.
Quit 4/17/15
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Pa
Posts: 15,172
How is everyone doing with SAD so far this season? Not drinking has markedly improved my depression. I still get depressed, but it only lasts for a day or two, not week after week. This of itself may be one of the best reasons not to drink for me.
Quit 4/17/15
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Pa
Posts: 15,172
My depression season is officially winding down. The days are warming and much lighter north of the equator. It was a great season for me, with no long stretches of depression the entire winter!
We had a very mild winter in the eastern US this year which helped me. I only used my Day Light for about a week early in the season then found that I didn't need it. It's gathering dust in the corner now.
As mentioned a couple of months back, not drinking has been huge. I never understood how much my depression was either totally caused by or fueled by my alcohol consumption.
It was great to experience a winter not being crippled by depression. I hope that others here had a similar experience!
We had a very mild winter in the eastern US this year which helped me. I only used my Day Light for about a week early in the season then found that I didn't need it. It's gathering dust in the corner now.
As mentioned a couple of months back, not drinking has been huge. I never understood how much my depression was either totally caused by or fueled by my alcohol consumption.
It was great to experience a winter not being crippled by depression. I hope that others here had a similar experience!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Yes... me too!
With the days lengthening and the weather growing warm and spring springing, I have felt my energy returning and have begun hitting the trails regularly, running and hiking ando communing with nature. Less time on devices also.
I'm still taking 5htp, but now weaning from that as my natural balance begins to improve and more frequent and consistent exercise and outdoor time builds me up.
I think next season I may just go ahead and try a low-dose seasonal ssri. I managed this year, but it was a struggle and I am left wondering after two years of spending time and money and emotion on the fallout of trying to avoid meds; is it really worth all that? Is a daily med really so bad? In contrast with handfuls of supplements several times daily, down moods, low energy and just getting by.... maybe a mild anti-depressant is a much better course. I suppose I cannot really know until I try.
Whatever may lie ahead, I'm grateful for sobriety and for the return of the sunseason.
With the days lengthening and the weather growing warm and spring springing, I have felt my energy returning and have begun hitting the trails regularly, running and hiking ando communing with nature. Less time on devices also.
I'm still taking 5htp, but now weaning from that as my natural balance begins to improve and more frequent and consistent exercise and outdoor time builds me up.
I think next season I may just go ahead and try a low-dose seasonal ssri. I managed this year, but it was a struggle and I am left wondering after two years of spending time and money and emotion on the fallout of trying to avoid meds; is it really worth all that? Is a daily med really so bad? In contrast with handfuls of supplements several times daily, down moods, low energy and just getting by.... maybe a mild anti-depressant is a much better course. I suppose I cannot really know until I try.
Whatever may lie ahead, I'm grateful for sobriety and for the return of the sunseason.
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