SAD + Anxiety?

Yeah, I do. In fact, I 've found it's been one of my first symptoms to return this year - that and fatigue.

Yesterday it took me over 4 hours to get it together to go to the shop for a pint of milk!

x

Yes Caz,anxiety is one my main symptoms.I find excercise helps.

Lately, I've gotten into a strange pattern.

I go to bed almost as soon as I get home one day per week. The next day, I spend on a ridiculous cleaning spree, which I'm sure is just nervous energy. It's productive, at least. I find it a bit unsettling, tho.

My apartment goes downhill to the point that I run out of dishes, the trash starts to smell, I'm depressed about the piles of clothes accumulating on the dresser/exercise machine/back of chairs/everywhere... And finally, after I give in and have a long sleep, I clean up.

Amalthea, I used to do exactly what you do. Go on a mad cleaning spree and burn myself out then not be able to do anything for weeks. Since having the ME I have had to learn to pace myself. I try and do at least one hour of something each day, either ironing, dusting, washing then have a rest. If I feel ok then I will do another hour, if I don't I wont.

It's difficult at first but once you get the hang of it it really helps.

I have had so many phobia's for all of my life and have learnt to control most of them my self without medication. most of the time I have used Breathing technique,Aromatherypy oils and yoga have all helped

hi all, I have ocd and it always worsens around this time of year. I am feeling very anxious now as I know it is I may dip. I'm determined this year for it not to happen. I am on meds for anxiety/ocd, gradually beginning to come off them. I am going to buy a lightbox this year, I said it last year and didn't! Thinking of you all.

Are you sure your checking is obsessive?

I check things more in the wintertime for the simple fact that I'm more forgetful/distracted/tired in the wintertime.

I don't mean to dispute what you say, just offer a question out of curiosity. :)

I'm not sure about the checking to be honest.

I think everybody has OCD to a certain degree,especially people who are thoughtfull/caring types.

I can't remember peoples' names, where I left things, where I'm supposed to be at a particular time. I have a PDA and it's set for alarms to remind me of stuff, simple stuff!

I bet you don't forget the Galaxy!

How do you edit your posts?

I just wanted to add that today has been a bad day which is why I've been on this forum rather than getting on with jobs that need doing. It has been dark and rainy all day and I've felt tired and a bit panicky when I think of things that need to be done and my seemingly inability to knuckle down to jobs. Fortunately weather is set to improve.

Hi Hadrian, did we have this conversation last year about checking etc?

I check things in winter and it can get to the point where it drives me nuts! I think mine is slightly OCDish though, because I start to get irritated by things being out of place nd have to put them back e.g. dvds sticking out of shelves when all the rest are straight.

It's not major though and don't think any of my friends and family even realise.

Hey look! I just gave myself a head transplant. Tired of the Hattie Jacques look!

I have had some chocolate today, but also had some Panda liquorice, I'm sure that must be much better for me, I can't eat as much of it for a start!

Liquorice ugh, give me chocolate any day.

I prefer chocolate, but we're talking damage limitation here. I think you ate 2 half bars, hence 2 posts. You just thought it would look like you had posted twice. Just a cover up, What size bar was that any way?

It was a medium size bar, honest.

I get Anxiety anyway so not really noticed.

Hey

I get anxiety every year I suppose , Around the October mark , going on until about Januray.
Its probably one of the biggest things about S.A.D for me that affects me , but since I have been diagnosed It seems to have become more acceptable to me , as I now know for sure why im feeling that way :0)

(Changing the subject randomly)

Liquorice is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it ! lol I like the Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts ! Yum

Marky Markx

Hi there, yeah I suffer with anxiety a lot at this time of year, I also promised myself a litebox last year but never got around to it!. As if you all have not got enough to worry about but I had to mention it, liquorice really affects your blood pressure, it sends it high! jen

Hi Minnie,it couldn't have been me you talked to last year because I'm pretty new to the forum.

i have finally self diagnosed myself with sad and the anxiety is one of my main symptoms, along with early waking and fatigue- i take st. johns wort and valerian, which seems to help a dn am about to invest in a lightbox

Yes Chalkie, I've found this forum to be of great comfort over the past few weeks.

hi hadrian- sorry not responded sooner, i use a product called amoryn- found on website by natures medicines- very good. really reccommend- takes up to 2 months to notice benefit, not cheap nut worth a try, take care.

Hello I am called Alex and I am new to the site.. I like it :)

I am glad there is a forom like this it has made me realise that I am not alone in this crazy ailment :/

It is driving me insane this year.. all I want to do is sleep and i have lost interest in everything and I just want to hide away with the lights off until At least April, Is anyone else like this? I go to bed early to try and take some control of my body clock but it wont have any of it and I am asleep until at least 1pm anyway, then im tired at 7pm lol :) Its hard to keep your sense of humour when you feel like a Zombie isnt it .. My memory is awful too.. really awful in the winter.. It was starting to worry me until I looke don the web and saw that I am not alone, it is quite comforting:). A hard part is that no-one understands and they all just think you are a damn lazy pig!I would do anything to be in the wide awake club personally..

Any one have any tips to get some sort of normality, routine back?

HI Alex welcome to the forum,prozac has been useful to me in the past and did seem to help with anxiety, your best bet is to talk to your doctor and see what he/she recommends.


paul

annkaren so relieved to read comments thought i was so lazy wanting to sleep most of time. hav coeliac condition (allergy to wheat), 4 children, work nites one month in 4 - that really knocks everything off balance. lite box sounds great but so expensive, will it work?

Two years ago a friend recommended that i tried homeopathy as an alternative to being put on anti-depresants. I didn't know what i thought about the idea at first, but thought anything was worth a try. I went and saw a lovely lady where we discussed everything i was feeling. After the 1hr session, she sent me some herbal remidies for me to try. I noticed a change in my energy levels, my moods improved, i felt more possitive about life, in fact i felt more like the 'normal'me. It wasn't a complete cure but it definitely took the edge off. It may not work for evryone but it's helped me get through those 'dark' times.

did you feel much better when you started light therapy paulst and which box do you use? I am a computer novice first time on line great way to communicate, whatever you have to look at (obe). Thinking about getting a light box they seem to be helping lots of people. prices vary is more expensive better?

my lamp is tiny and more powerful than the larger one that I have.

I'm into my third winter with my lamp and mine made a huge difference to the way I am over the dark months. I'm still not the same me as in the summer but it's a huge improvement.

Lumie do a 21 day trial on lamps, I tried it and there was no way I was sending mine back at the end of it!

Hiya,
just joined the forum, and not sure if this is actually the right thread!
Anyway, I started with anxiety during the Christmas/New Year break 2004-2005.
I have struggled ever since, but recently seemed to be improving.
Yesterday, it was like WHAM! Fine in the morning; semi-spring-cleaned the living room.
But by tea time that was it.
Today, I haven't got out of my pyjamas.
Can the clock changing have made such a difference?

hi

the clocks going back really hit me as well, i think SAD being related to body clock probably means it is harder to adjust as well as the sudden impact of the dark evenings. getting home in the dark makes it almost impossible to get out again for anything! my body clock seems to be really sensitive to change and one summer of working in a bar really screwed me up for months, i realised i can't do a job that involves shift work, has anyone else found this? (sorry if this should be a new thread or something, am still a newbie to the whole forum thing!)

hi

Just joined today, and the posts have really helped me.

I've had the worst beginning to winter I've ever had since I first started getting symptoms of SAD. Haven't been to work for a week and a half,and have had to go on tranquilisers to control my anxiety as well as my normal prozac. Has this year been a lot worse for anyone else? I was just wondering if the really bad summer has made a difference or if it's just me?

Hey paulst

thanks for that. It's probably horrible for me to feel this but it actually does make it better that it's not just me being freakier than normal!

HI, Pete and welcome,the clocks going back is a bad time for many of us, so you are not alone.Glad to see your getting a bodyclock, I use mine all the year round and wouldnt be without it.



paul