SAD

[Roj5]

Wow.... This is not the bouyant site I remember of old. Where are all the posts?

Hi everyone and no doubt completely new people that have stumbled upon here since my last visit.

Just feeling better coming on here and having a read and now a post as year on year I end up on Fluoxetine for Seasonal Affectove Disorder. Yet again I can not get out of bed on a morning and my motivation is rock bottom, but soldier on! For some reason this year has hit harder than most and rather than every other day; every day tablets are not even helping.

Two more weeks after this and a week off before only three more weeks and Christmas. A new year and lighter nights gives me a lift.

I used to think it was a mental thought causing it, but looking back I always struggled October-February. Luckily exams were in the Summer and being in construction most work is Spring to Autumn.

Enough rambling... Wondering if there are others here with similar.

Take care.

[Deedeelyn]

Hi Roj5,

I sometimes haunt this forum. I'm looking forward to more people joining now that all the changes are taking place with BT. How can it not, there are great people here. I am diagnosised Schizo-affective , GAD and major depressive disorder. I know the feeling when the winter weather falls. It's major effort to maintain any kind of stability during this time. We just had our first snow yesterday and there is an actual heaviness in my chest knowing that this is just the beginning.

Any way , I wanted to introduce myself and let you know others are here that deal with the same as you.

I'm sure I will see you around.

DeeDee

[Naominjw]

Our family members use a 10,000 lux "sunbox" - broad spectrum light. Even in our kitchen, we have our "happy lights" and two switches so we can use less lighting at night. And getting out walking during the daylight hours has been a must. And keeping up Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register... is a must.

"Naomi"

[houghchrst]

Hi Roj5,

I too suffer through the winter months. I have yet to get myself a light and wonder if there is any insurance that would pay for one out of mental health necessity. Probably not.

I make myself get out and walk despite my pain. I take my pooch, my camera, and a bottle of water out around our pond. Went this morning despite the fact that it looks like it is going to rain any second and is windy lol. Bit chilly but I actually worked up a sweat.

[Roj5]

:)

Thank you guys and quite bizarre that 3 of us joined October 2006! Must have been a good month... Just realised... I joined here as I started my low-period *laughs*.

I too have a dog and walk her every morning. The only problem is I walk her 0600-0630am, so miss the light and daybreak. I start work with awful lighting at 730 and work through to 1730 when it is dark again. I need to be in the office for phone calls, so dinner breaks are with the internet rather than getting out.

Just dropped a can of red bull and a coffee. I wouldn't care except I was in bed asleep at 2000 last night and out of bed 10 hours later shattered :)

I read the box is 85% effective, but as soon as it gets to January/ February I convince myself that the £100 is not needed and soon everything I suffered is forgotten again. I believe I am able to go on a waiting list for a box, but often feel guilty as bad health as had my doctor pulling a lot of strings lately, so I rather not push my luck or appear greedy.

I will keep popping in here as it is always appreciative chatting and sharing and here's to the community building up again.

Take care all.

[tic chick]

hey everyone !

i'm another seasonal affective disorder sufferer. mine kicks in late october, usually the week before we turn our clocks back. then that lost hour of daylight really hits me! my worst period is christmas (of course, that's around when the daylight hours are the shortest!).

i was taking paxil several years ago, but the weaning off time is terrible for me. it takes me almost 6 weeks to wean off and one year i had a semi-breakdown in the parking lot at meijer grocery store. no more paxil now!

so, i go outside during the brightest part of the day (and usually the warmest) and i play fetch with my dogs. they love it and i get the sun! win/win! i also try to walk/jog about 3 times a week. i have to start getting into that again.

i noticed i had this around my early 20's, already 30 years ago. i read about the light boxes then, but they were way too expensive! they have lightbulbs now that have the full spectrum of light that the sun gives, maybe replacing all your lightbulbs might help? chris, i think there are directions on the web on how to build your own lightbox! see if your handy cj can maybe do that.

if i can get through january, i start feeling better in february and by march i'm great. i try and keep busy during the day, so it passes by and i'm not thinking about all my problems, which brings me down further.

okay! i have thanksgiving cleaning to do the next 3 days...WHOOOPEEE!!!!

to all my fellow sad'ers...LIGHT and love ,
jeannie

[houghchrst]

Well Jeannie I better ask for that there light box now so that it will be done by next winter lolol. I am still waiting for him to finish my dang compost box we started at the end of summer. I will check out the bulb prices. Everything is long term energy saver bulbs. The entire house.


Roj I would be a raving loon if I did not get any sunshine. I don't care how cold it is I will go out and stand face uplifted for full sun contact if I start getting too stir crazy. Too bad wherever you work hasn't switched their type of lighting. I have seen a few big companies actually change the lighting where the workers spend most of their time. I think it has something to do with productivity and health expenses.

[joy]

I can go forever staying in the house, even in summer. I have a nice bronze tan, looks like that but truthfully i know it was my iron and who knows what else oout of all the carload of meds they gave me for neuropathy that said stay out of sun, back when i didn't.

I am thinking of lights myself. i need some fo r plants if nothing else. i have missed the dog, LOL remember by saying i had to have something to look at for his empty space? well thye may all die soon but for now they are bright and colorful. I use to hasve so many african violets and i had lights for them. Now I want a lott a ight for plants and myself. Since I have had this cud on legs etc, i doubt i have been outside 20 minutes and it wasn't always sunny at that. gonna have to make some chanes or something looks like.

I spend a lot of time trying to catch up on sleep it seems. it was better for about a month or so after oxygen but then the rash and having to late hours of last pill time. i have had onlyt bout 1 hour of sleep after taking last dose. hubby then woke me up. i am trying to tire myself out so perhaps i can get some more. why must sleeping always be so difficult is what's making me mad. i am sure hoping the results of my sleep study helps somehow. this is the same doctor that did last one in 07. he did NOT tell me very much helpful things after that test and this one was as far as time sleeping ok etc and almost dientical. I got perhaps 6 hour sleep or almost. a LOT for me at night. but i hope he goes nto detail about my oxygen an d my mouth ettth movement. rest of body is stone still.

my husband years ago had someone allow her to buy a tanning bed for some hokey reason. i believe she said it helped her back. it surprises what some can do and others can't. ps her husband was a phycologist, phyciastreist or pick one. I have often wondered if he just fixed it up for her. now my husband, his skin doctor told him he NEEDED to lie on a tanning bed because he has psorisis reallt bad on front and back of his body, in big patches. some on face and head. he just hasn't persued it.

[Jo6]

Hello Roj5. I suffer depression all the time, sometimes worse than others. The winter months especially cause more depression from trying not to think of my parents death and several other ones that I loved dearly.

Lack of light makes it worse. I can not be in the sun light except short length of time because of some of the meds. I take. Then there are certain meds. that help to bring on depression. So, whats a body to do? In my little office space in the dinning room there are flouresant (sp)? lights. I usually leave this light on most of my waking hours.

Spring and summer are my best months as far as light goes. Spring I tend to stay out too long and end up sun burned. Big splotches of red. Mighty y looking.

I have to work hard at keeping myself from severe depression. Losing 3 of my siblings in such a short time didn't help the past year.

Roj5, I think many people lost contact when the systum was down so long and haven't found their way back yet. This down time I knew there were several good people working on getting Brain Talk up with a new and better home.
I think the "crash" of 2004 ? was where we lost many. Those were bad days, but we have people that care a lot for BrainTalk and they are very caring for the people that do come. I'm seeing more and more of the "older members" logging back on.

I've been here sinse 1999. When we first went to vbullitin we didn't get to carry over post count with us. I was too happy to have Brain Talk back to frett over post count #'s !!

Why don't you join us in Emotional Support Forum. That is one Forum that welcomes everybody.It's a chance to say most anything(with in the TOS). Rant and Rave, laugh and cry etc. It's just a good forum.

There are other great forums and they are beginning to welcome back members.

It is good to see you back. Keep comming and come more often, eh?

because I care, Jo aka Julia s



ps: December 21st is the first day of winter. That will be the shortest day light
of the year. after that we will gain a little more light each day.That is what I
keep reminding myself that spring is next

[Beader]

OK, this has to be my third round on BT, and I did lose my post count as well as my original name. Bummer. Well, we're all starting over in more ways than one. So sorry to hear about all your losses, Jo. Holidays become even less "fun" that way.

SAD and major depression is certainly a double whammy. I had a good friend who was an MSW and the light box did not help her, so she offered it to me at a discount but I was unsure about making that investment at the time. Instead, I put blue full spectrum bulbs in the lamps near where I sit at night. I cross my fingers and hope they help, but they certainly do their job in terms of being able to see more clearly and more truly in terms of colors. I need to kick myself in the butt to get outside more oftern, especially when I'm most depressed.

Sher

[Jo6]

hi Sher, its good to have you back.:) I first joined Brain Talk in 1999 and we all lost our post count, several times. I've also been known by other names too. Issy was one of them.

I'm glad to see many new/old members again. I used to spend a lot of time in the Depression Chat Room. My my, we are a long ways from that,eh?Some of the members have passed on and I still miss them. Especially one by the name of snake! He was a card, but toward the end he got very confused.

My depression has been worse this year than ever. I can count a few things that could be the cause, but it's always been with me as far back as I can remember.

I sit on my front porch when the sun is out and the wind isn't blowing. the wind seems to do a # on the asthma. I'm trying to cheer myself up in any way that I can. somedays I fall flat.

The first day of winter I started a count down til spring!! Just thinking of it makes me feel better! I'm a bit loony but whatever helps, go for it.

My thoughts and love go with each of you so just hang in there and Spring will be here before we know it.

my love, Jo aka Julia s

[Beader]

So Jo, are you going to keep the rest of us posted as to how many days are left till Vernal Equinox? For some ridiculous reason, I just appreciate the fact that the days are slooowly getting a teensy bit longer.

There's snow due tonight, which should be the first of the season around here. I kinda like that first snowfall, the palpable quiet, the thick white air. Yes, it's goofy, but I like to grab my ruler and document the depth for myself -- it makes me feel more satisfied to actually know for sure. :o Maybe I missed my calling as a meteorologist... Or maybe it's my very minor way to commune with Nature. Now I live where five rivers merge together, in a housing enclave in the middle of three thousand acres of state forest, where the deer might as well be in a petting zoo. I think the local herd on my block has grown to 17, and that's just one herd! I should get my camera ready for pix after the snowfall when the critters are ambling by.

Sher

[Buttons2]

Jo,you had better get back here posting! you are missed ya know.

Sher,I live north of Seattle & of course if you watch news you will realize we got hit with a big storm this week. I loved the snow the first day. all the trees covered in white,the view over the fields,the total quiet. we feed alot of birds & had 4 deer here one day.

I was walking outside with my little doggie & looking at the pond & getting a picture in my mind of all the daffodils that will be blooming on a small island in the pond. spring is my favorite season!

[Beader]

Buttons,
That does sound so pretty & peaceful -- daffodils poking their lil sunny-colored heads thru the icy white stuff. A very welcome sign of Spring. Who rules Spring? Who is the resident goddess? Must google... I will now offer Lemon Zinger tea in her honor.

This may sound odd, but I gave up watching the news twenty years ago under doctor's orders [& yes, he was a strange doc -- homeopath plus Anthropop/Steiner doc -- not many in US]. It's much less depressing to not have to know that the sky is falling & the world is coming to an end every frikkin' day! I can glean enough about the world from making Google News my home page & clicking on whatever I really desperately want to learn about from there.

No fires! Yay! No massive traffic jams with multiple injuries! Yay! I can pick & choose the calamities that I might want to explore at my own pace. Yes, I am aware that the economy is going to hell in a handbasket, but there's nothing I can do about it whether I know it or not. So why stew & raise my blood pressure on a daily basis? I urge all depressed folks out there to follow my lead, even if you go thru news withdrawal for a week or two. You'll still be Less Depressed! And trust me, the earth will continue spinning without you watching over it. Amen.

Sher the Un-Newsy One

[Buttons2]

well I don't find it one bit odd that you don't watch the news. seems like an excellent idea to me.if I ruled the world we would never have to see any commercials for anti-depressant medications either!