SAD HAS TURNED INTO SOMETHING ELSE

Hello again,
Now, I have a feeling that my SAD has turned into something else and I blame this to my stupid mistake of taking melatonin. I would rather have SAD than what I have been having!!!!!

Excellent, money well spent.

Hi Donna, I'm really sorry to hear that. Maybe it's just a temporary thing while the melatonin is working it's way out of your system? Do you mind if I ask what medication you're taking? I went to my doc to get diagnosis and she gave me Citalopram. I've never been on meds before, so feel weird about it.

Thanks Donna. I feel much better taking them now as they have started working and the side effects have worn off pretty much, I'm starting to feel normal again. I haven't told anyone I'm taking them, maybe by next year I will not worry about the stigma either. Did you find it ok coming off them in March? Did you have any withdrawal? And any side effects when you went back on them again in Sept? I usually feel better by May, so would like to come off them by the end of Apr.

I have just subscribed to this site after reading some of your posts. I am also taking Cetalopram (from Boxing Day) and feel it is beginning to work. I thought I may have SAD for some time, and being under pressure on Christmas Day, went into a deep depression. Could you advise if it is ok to be on this drug for 'short periods' only, and can you still use a lightbox while taking them - as I saw one site which said you shouldn't use the light box if taking anti-depressants. Also when beginning to take them I did feel very nauseaus - would this reoccur each time?
Many thanks.

Hi Bagpuss (incidentally this was my daughter's favourite programme!) - thank you very much for your advice re taking anti-depressants & the lightbox. I also understand that you need both white and blue light for a lightbox to be more effective - do you know anything about this?

I sent a mail to Lumie who recommended their Zip model with both blue and white light - so am looking into getting one of these. I did a bit of research on the internet and it does seem that both types of light are more beneficial. (who knows?!) Kindest regards and thanks again.

Hi robdemanc: Well, I started taking melatonin because I was never ever sleepy and I thought it would catch me up and my sister-in-law suggested that I take melatonin. I did some research and found that they do think that one way to treat SAD is with melatonin but they do not have anything conclusive as of yet and they do state do be extremely careful with it which I was not. I think it is basically the same concept as if you get bitten by a snake, then they treat you with anti-venom. I do not know. Call me crazy, but it seemed to make sense. By the way, since I first started this new topic, I am doing a lot better than I have been doing. But, again, I do not think I have SAD anymore. I do not have any of the symptoms like I had. Anyway, time will tell.

This website may be useful: http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/LightDark.htm It's talking about light and darkness mainly in relation to bipolar disorder, but there's a fair bit in there about depression and SAD too.