Some advice please

Every year since I was about 19 I have had trouble with this time of year (I am mid 30's now). Apathy, difficulty concentration and a feeling of panic coming out of nowhere. I am not usually the worrying kind and managed to struggle on and then bingo! March comes and I am ok again. Lovely sun and cricket season.

Last Boxing day my wife and I had our first baby and all of a sudden I fell into a black hole with panic attacks,constant tiredness, strange appetite patterns, poor performance at work etc. Come March I snapped out of it and put it all down to having a job I didn't like and the shock and sleep deprivation involved with having a baby.

Last monday it all came flooding back with interest and I am really struggling to make it through the day let alone the night. I am really tired and I am preoccupied all the time with my own failings, the fact I am getting older without having achieved anything and have become increasingly morbid. It has come from nowhere, I have a beautiful wife and baby, lots of freinds and family close by and a job I now like. I am fit and healthy as far as I know, but am obsessed with mortality of myself and others. I have been bursting into tears at the drop of a hat, all very bizare.

DOes all of this sound familiar and if so please tell me it goes away. I have booked an appointment with my GP and am hoping she will be able to help me out. But any advice/ support would also be welcome.

I start to feel better by the end of Feb.

Hi Tom and welcome to the forum. Your symptoms sound the same as mine. I was doing quite well up until ironically boxing day and since then I have taken a down turn. I have had SAD for about 25 years and without a doubt Jan/Feb are my worst months.

An appointment with your GP is a good idea and I am sure you will find a lot of support on here. I just keep thinking now..... only a few weeks till spring!

Let us know how you get on with your GP Tom. I think I will review what I said.. February I'm normally feeling better.

Suzie, I think you need to come out to play later? I can drive a bit nearer to you if it helps? Text me!

Sticky glitter hands, I love your name!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to my posting.

It is very comforting to hear that there are so many people in the same boat, a rather sad and grey boat, but one with lots of friendly crew members! :)

Thanks again and here's to the summer!!

Hi Tom, sorry I've come late to this. Talk to your GP if it helps, personally I've never had a diagnosis but I tried a lightbox which works very well for me so that's good enough for me to go on with.

Christmas is a difficult time generally, I also think life is tough for folks with new babes who are think they are supposed to feel that life is great and feel guilty if they don't.

What works for me is a decent (ish!) diet, some exercise (more would be better!), plenty of sleep (maybe tricky for you!) and not beating myself up about how I feel and my lack of ability to do everything that I want to do.

Good luck, keep in touch with us won't you?

I thought I should let you know how I got on at the GPs. It looks like I found a believer! She was very helpful and although she said she couldn;t give me scientific evidence that lights worked she had heard good reports. She mentioned that talking helps and that there was a very good counselling service. Medication was also an option but to concentrate of exercise and diet to start with. To which end I have been doing some swimming, keeping off the carbs and taking some Omega 3.

Also spoke with a mate who is a 'proper' depressive. there were lots of similarities between his experience and mine, and we had a good chat about being positive and not bottling things up.

To that end, I am feeling better. Still lethargic, and a bit down and with a nagging nervousness, but without the desperate feelings I was having last week.

Thanks again for all your support.

BECki
SAD generally appears, or makes makes a similar all year round condition worse. If you have had a daughter two years ago and have been moody and tired all year round ever since, it may be that you have postnatal depression or other - its so common. Have a chat with your doctor - thats the best place to start.

My hormones were all over the place after I had kids and the tiredness can be normal for a person with a young child - they are hard work than you realise and dont give you a break! (and I didnt have Postnatal depression - so dont panic).

If you are concerned, a doctor or health visitor will be a good person to see, even if you just want a chat with them about how youre feeling. A good support network is a must when your feeling low after a big circumstance change - ie an addition to the family.

In the meantime, I am sure that exercise will help. Omega 3 is also a good supplement which benefits most people. I also take Evening Primrose for those times when my hormones get the better of me, it seems to work a treat.

I havent got any qualifications in this subject by the way, im just a mum who knows how you feel.
Good Luck flower.

Me x

hi tom
yup I feel exactly the same every winter & then when march comes it goes away & I forget all about until the following winter when it hits again,Im normally very capable 7 nothing really phases me but during the winter I whittle & worry over everything & just dont cope with life very well at all,I have found however that using a lightbox helps loads it isnt a magic cure but it helps me to keep on more of an even keel,though this year seems to be especially bad & I now just long for spring,hope you get on ok with the gp appointment

Tom, I googled Post natal depression Men and this was the first hit. I thought I had heard of it happening. You'll need to read right down. Might be worth a bit more investigation.

I used to feel so guilty that I had all a girl could want and yet I was still in such a bad way.

Hope that you feel better soon.


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