You all are a pleasure!

Folks, I just want to say how nice it is to see the forum so active. I've really been enjoying the conversations here recently. You're all very supportive and it's been so important for me. I've had some really low times when I've shown up here. It says a lot that just reading your posts is able to brighten my darker days.

Just wanted to say thank you.

Your very welcome Amalthea, your posts are always valued, so please keep posting.

Me too please, with all my friends that I have made over the past few weeks. You have all put a smile on my face too!

Even though I don't know you, you're all the best!

My first year on the forum and I have to say I wish I found it years ago. You've all really cheered me up - thanks everyone :-)

paulst, that's exactly why I felt like I ought to say something. This year, the forum just seems so much more active and so supportive. Just loving it!

I'm doing pretty well. I've got tomorrow off work, and I've got plans to go out for the day. How're you today, Hadrian?

Have a good day Amalthea, hope you get some sunshine.

HI Amalthea, im glad you had a good day.I was hoping to get out this weekend and take some photos, sadly the weather so far is rubbish, I enjoy taking landscapes the most, so will wait for some brighter weather.

Lovely photos Amalthea. Hiope you enjoyed your day off.

Thanks, both of you. The pictures are largely luck and just taking a *lot* of shots.

Went to the Aviary today and came home feeling very sluggish. I did some slow walking. I'm trying very hard to keep my weight down. It was a nice day so far. I ought to go to the grocery store and do housework, but I just want to go to bed.

Gonna have some hot tea and see what I decide to do. What are all of you doing this weekend?

As we entered the autumn, I was feeling unduly positive considering the weather we'd had, probably because I had been working outside. I even wondered just how much I'd need the lightbox.
I visited this forum and did not like the new format. 'No problem', I reasoned that I did not need it, and besides, how could something so introspective, so banal be helpful?
Then the symptons started to bite. They need no description here. Every year I forget how bad this is, and it's clearly a failing.
I re-visited this forum, and submitted a post. At least three of you promptly welcomed me back.
A chiropractor once said to me 'You're on your own with backache' He was referring to the fact that with no visible injury few would appreciate the level of your suffering. You could say the same was true of SAD.
The value of this forum is the knowledge that those who submit posts are totally familiar with sentiments and emotions you experience, so from the trivial to the tortuous, it appeals.
Look, this is a long-winded way of saying 'Thank you' I appreciate you all.

Agreed! And yes, every year, I stumble back here only when I'm in the worst of states.

I've lately tried to help my mother understand how it is to live with SAD. I hope it's not something I end up regretting. My parents know it as "the light thing" and figured that it might be a credible treatment because when our pet bird got sick, the vet said we needed to get him a plant light... and amazingly, he recovered after treatment.

Yes, I think I'd have the same reaction if mom ever asked me specifically about SAD. I would want to just tell her I'm doing fine, because I wouldn't really know *what* to say and I want her to understand but I hate to see her worry.

Actually, I'm hanging in fairly well. I've been up-front about the SAD to more people than I thought I could.

At least my parents are kind enough not to say anything about my bulky SAD lightboxes. In fact, I suggested to mom that we could try to use them for lighting for one of her photography projects when she didn't have the lighting equipment she needed and she didn't get all strange about it.

I thought my mum understood about SAD, after all ive had it for about 30 years since I was a child.

As a child I used to have awful probs getting up and off to school. My eyesight was worse in the winter. I fell out with so-called friends. I came home and slept. Woke up for tea, then slept again. The phrase ' You treat this house like a hotel' still rings in my ears.

Since SAD was discovered and I discovered SAD, Ive kept her informed about how and why I felt bad at times and not others.

She would ring whenever there was a bad period of weather and I had withdrawn. (In fact she rang me yesterday worrying as she couldnt get hold of me all day - well it is unusual.)

It turns out that she still hasnt got it - last week she told me that if she had what I had she would be the happiest person alive.

SAD is cruel, but luckily im bright enough at the moment to put her straight without screaming. "Its a brain chemical problem mum, without SAD Im perfectly happy with my life. ARRRRGHH. Im just a little hedgehog.

ME x

In some ways I'm a little luckier with my folks understanding SAD as my mum has it as well, although to a much lesser degree than me. Unfortunately, that can mean that she knows what's going on too well, and sees through me when I'm trying to pretend everything's ok. Both her and my dad worry way too much about it all, and if I don't check in with them every day in the winter they assume I'm dead!

On another note, ME - that's the first time I've heard anyone else saying they had worst eye problems in winter. I always feel like my peripheral vision becomes more hazy, and I definitely need to use my glasses at the computer more. Is that the same with anybody else?

Me, also... Tired eyes, blurred vision, impatience from reading.

I have a vision defect, though. I'm supposed to do some exercise for my eyes called "pencil push-ups" because my eyes don't focus and converge like other folks. I guess most people never find out they have it unless they get to doing something eye-intense like working with financial figures...

That's my long-winded way of saying, "Me too, but it probably doesn't count."

I've noticed lately that when I carry on a conversation, I often am looking over a person's shoulder more than I am looking AT that person.

Not sure if it's my eye troubles, but I suppose it could be feeling nervous or self-conscious. Possibly it's a confidence issue. Then again, it's hard for me to work up the energy to engage someone in conversation and I'm never very secure about what might come out of my mouth that will sound really stupid afterward.

Anyhow, it's just a strange habit I noticed that I'd like to drop. I have such a hard time remembering faces (and names!) that this bad habit isn't helping!