When it hits like a bullet, and i need to be happy this year....

Sounds like a doctor visit is just what you need flower. You need the doctors support, either to talk to or medication, or both!

I find that SAD kicks in first, then the depression afterwards. Sounds like you have got to that stage chuck! But dont despair, you life is great its just that you brain wont let you enjoy it at the moment.

ORDINARY EVERYDAY HEALTHY THINGS WHICH WILL HELP AND THAT SAD WANTS YOU TO IGNORE
Its easier said than done, but.. You have got to try to get out and do some exercise everyday. It is a brilliant thing - honestly. You do have happy hormones inside you, you have just got to release them, and if you are like me - I just want to sit, unsocialise, wallow, cry and sleep when Im bad - then you must realise that you can start the ball rolling..

Push yourself (it might be hard but you can) to get out and do some exercise, for about half hour to an hour almost every day (Ienjoy it in the mornings it helps me get ready for the rest of the day - come tea time, it becomes more difficult.) Just so that you can feel breathless but can still gossip at the same time! lol. No need to overdo it.

There is no harm in making sure you have the normal vitamins and minerals (I find a good vit and min tonic is brilliant from the chemist) needed for everyday life and Im finding omega 3 and 6 quite helpful too. Other people use St johns Wort, and I have 5htp for that period (but this doesnt suit everybody!)

Bet you are eating alot of sugar/carbs (that includes alcohol)at the moment. However tempting they are (and I know the strength of that pull!) try to cut down and get some decent healthy food down ya. You will feel absolutely shattered at first, but it should get easier. You see sugar gives you a brilliant lift that takes you out of the tired zone temporarily then it drops you right back there AND YOU NEED MORE!

"I want you to know that most of us feel exactly as you do at some point during the winter - YOU ARE MOST DEFINATELY NOT ALONE". Even I find it hard to follow my own advice sometimes - did I really admit to that!!!!!!x

I know the feeling with the light box, but your partner obviously thinks it works as she is asking you to use it. Once you get into a depression it seems harder to treat with light (my personal opinion). Maybe you could exercise in front of the light box - a double whammy if you like and time saver

Finally, do not hesitate to get to the docs. You both have a fantastic and tiring time ahead of you. Be prepared and ready and you will be able to enjoy both christmas and your new bundle of fun.

Work at it chuck, you can - honestly -listen to your spirit and move forward.

If you are like me, I suspect that you are thinking of a number of excuses why you shouldnt do things - try to think of the reasons why you should do things to help you - a new baby perhaps!x

Stay with it chuck, we are all with you.

The above comes from my heart and should not be taken as critisicm - it is support flower. I am not a medical expert just a SAD person who feels the pain that you feel as I have been there numerous times and the above is what helps me.

Keep writing to us all.

Me x

Hi Mikey,
First of all, congratulations on your imminent arrival! You must be thrilled.
I can only really echo everything that's already been said, i.e. you need someone to talk to and the GP is the best place to start. Important as well, given your current circumstances, to find someone neutral to the domestic situation who can be objective with the emotions you're feeling. Good friends are invaluable at a time like this.
Re. the lightbox, I spend most of my working day sat by a PC, so I have it right here, by my side for about 3 hours per day at the moment, but I can increase it if I need to.
Also, the exercise is really important - I have a treadmill at home, but even a walk in the fresh air will do you the world of good, especially if you wrap up warm, now the weather's turning colder.
Remember, you don't HAVE to go on tablets if you don't want to, there are plenty of other options. Howvere, don't rule them out altogether - anything's worse than the alternative, right?
Good luck, and do let us know how everything goes - I'm a Sagittarius baby too - fab sign!
Mrs Stan
x

SAD is a tough thing to wrap your mind around. I've had it since I was a pre-teen. Sometimes it seems to just pile on top of the stress you already are dealing with. I try to do what I call "self-care." Besides using my light and trying to get a little exercise (like you, I don't succeed at that much)... I take some time to do some things *I* want to do. If I know I'm feeling down, instead of letting myself sink further, I put on some music I like or I call up a friend to talk. I try to do my best not to dwell, especially because when I'm feeling low, I tend not to see things from a normal perspective and I can really over-react.

Had trouble with my checkbook a few days ago. So... I walked away from it and tried again the next day. It wasn't anything urgent, just annoying. I wasn't going to overdraw. The next day, I got it figured out and I have a plan now for what to do if I get confused again. If I made myself push through it, I'd probably have been in tears.

Sometimes it helps to be aware of how you're feeling, and ask yourself if you're helping or hurting yourself by doing what you're pushing on to do and sometimes just step away or disengage for awhile.

hi guys,

my partner made me an appointment at the doctors.

and as per usual, i was having a good day. I did however get a nice doctor which is rather unusual, had rather a good chat and we decided to try and get me back into a regular sleep pattern as i have been getting about 2 or 3hours sleep a night. i am by no means a heavy sleeper, but it has been getting worse. anyway the doctor prescribed 7 days temazepam. which seem to be doing the trick. i have been on them for about 5 days now. still having the occasional unmotivated day, but i have told work so they dont think im lazy, and also emailed a local rugby club. cheers for all your messages. i shall still be on throughout the winter, cause no doubt this good feeling wont last forever

Mikey

Sounds like you have hit a turning point. WELL DONE. Stick with it flower.

You may feel a couple of paces forwards ONE DAY, then a couple of paces backwards another day - this is soooo very normal! Remember that your doctor is there to help you and we are here for friendship too.

Make sure that the email to the local Rugby club gets answered because that sounds absolutely perfect. Why not just turn up?

You have so much to look forward to, stick with it.

You are starting to take control of SAD and sound brighter already -

Im really chuffed for you all.

Me x

As the weather starts to turn, I get desperate enough to try "thinking warm thoughts." I go outside and imagine the sun is shining and I put on some upbeat music.

I find a lot of my dislike of winter is associated with an aversion to the cold. The SAD lights have gotten me through winter but usually I drag my way through.

This year, I'm getting treatment for fibromyalgia for the first time, which is also taking a major load off my SAD. (I say that a lot, because it's hard for me to believe how well I'm managing for now!) So, I'm finally getting sufficient sleep.

Anyhow, the fibromyalgia, arthritis and Raynald's make cold weather awful for me to tolerate. So, I wrap myself up in the warmest clothes and blankets I can find and use the SAD lamps an awful lot.

Hi Mikey,
Glad that you're getting things sorted out.
I notice that several people have mentioned 'positive thinking'. My GP prescribed a course of online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for me. I had to visit the surgery once a week for 8 weeks and complete an online course. You get printed out notes (which I have kept for future reference) and heaps of advice on how to recognise unhealthy thinking patterns and adjust them to more healthy thoughts. I was staggered at the difference.
I felt truly enlightened.
It's worth seeing if your GP can offer something similar, but there are a load of books out there which offer similar things. Do give a try - I'd recommend it to anyone.
Good luck,
Mrs Stan