clinical depression & SAD?

Hi,

I was diagnosed as suffering from clinical depression in 1994. I have been on a succesful course of medication for many years, and have been able to live a pretty normal life.

The last few winters, however, I have been suffering from lenghthy bouts of symptoms - extreme lethargy, tiredness, lack of enthusiam, unsociability, and terrible difficulty leaving my bed.

The symptoms I suffered when depressed were more those of despair and deep anxiety.

I was wondering if anyone knows whether SAD can be considered as a separate condition, or one that could be experienced despite being successfuly treated for clinical depression with anti-depressants?

Thanks,

S

one can certainly have separate types of depression-bipolar, sad etc...

I have had clinical depression which has been exacerbated in the winter. It's entirely possible that you also are experiencing year-round depression which deepens at this time of year. It's also not unusual for the kinds of symptoms you have to surface after being on meds for a number of years.

Please take this in the spirit in which it is meant, which is purely to offer some heartfelt help. What the meds have been doing for you is controlling your symptoms. They are incapable of "curing" the root causes of depression and anxiety. Those root causes are still there from the sound of it. You can choose to continue to try to treat the symptoms, or you can address what is causing them. For most people it is usually a mix of nutritional/health and emotional factors. What is your overall health like and what is your diet like? Do you think there may be factors in your life, e.g. relationship or employment problems, which could be contributing to how you feel?

Just my two cents. Hope it helps.

Linda.