What are your symptoms?

Sometimes it's comforting to know others are experiencing the same trials you are. How has S.A.D affectd your life? What are your symptoms?

These are things I only struggle with in the winter...so, I know it's not a part of me...it's just the way the season affects me...sometimes it's hard to separate that.

hyper-critical of myself
pressure in chest and throat
feeling worthless
feeling overwhelmed
feeling not good enough
feeling like people don't "get me"
feeling like an outcast
feel like giving up on projects and endeavors
fatigue
general pain (when SAD is severe)

How about you? How does the winter affect you?

I too take Citalopram for 5/6 months of the year, starting mid/late September as a precautionary measure, as I know that I'll need it a while after that. So far so good this year.

Mentally I deal with things much better in that I know that I'm not useless generally, just not dealing with whatever at that particular time.

Sleep patterns are erratic, but whereas in the summer I cope with about 6 1/2 hours, in the winter 10 hours is frequently not enough.

I try to live a very controlled existence in the winter, just do as much as I feel I can, avoid large social gatherings (I don't 'do' Christmas parties other than going to a friend's house or family, as so often I have paid for stuff and then not been fit to go). I find if I avoid upset and things go right I'm able to cope.

My symptoms sound a lot like yours, Donna. Especially the emotional pain and the fatigue. I also have horrid social withdrawal. Even from my family, who I adore. Does anyone else feel that?

I was diagnosed with SAD in 2000. I believe I have lived with it every winter since 1988, but I have treated it successfully with light therapy, exercise, and a carefully balanced diet in the last three years. I currently have close support from my family. Without them (e.g if I was living alone, in isolation) I would probably take the medication the GP prescribed, but currently choose not to.

I suspect that SAD has very much influenced the way I see myself, e.g because I suffered social withdrawal in winter, I assumed it was just part of my character. As I've grown older this has improved; I assumed I 'grew out of it'. But it's more likely that managing the syndrome is what has changed me.

Now that I have far greater awareness I can see a pattern to my life and how it has panned out. I have a lot of catching up to do. Though I feel I've been a victim of SAD, awareness has empowered me to take control at last and now I feel I have the chance to do things to their full potential.

So I recommend sharing information, experiences and opinions. Be clear about how you feel. I find that GPs recognise SAD but don't necessarily know how bad it can get as only a tiny percentage of the population experience it as an extremely debilitating depressive disorder.

symptoms include;
feeling claustraphobic
depression
major anxiety
feel tired all the time
panic attacks
and little/low worth

all good fun eh? lol

I am sure I have been getting the symptoms of SAD for at least the last 5 years. Some of the things I feel in the winter months are as follows;
Hard to wake up in the morning
Very slow to get going mentally
Low concentration levels
Low confidence
Some anxiety / mini panic attacks
Generally feeling down
Things I would normally do can feel like an effort
My mind just feels like it can't seem to settle
I also seem to avoid talking with friends or social gatherings sometimes.

I have a light box and a body clock and when I use them it does seem to make a difference.

I have never been to the doctors about this yet, but I have an appointment for next week. I don't know if it will help, but think it is a good idea.

I seem to find the autumn time hardest, and when we get a lot of grey days.

Anyway as with Snowflake I think reading how other people feel is very helpful.

I am just waiting in the doctors so I can have a chat with him. I booked it about 10 days ago when i was feeling low. However the last week of the really sunny weather we had was a blessing, it totally picked me back up and I feel 100% my normal self again now. I have also been using my body clock which I am sure is helping, and have my desk lamp all ready.
I am making sure I get myself up in the mornings and walking my girls to school to get some light.
Isn't it amazing how a few days of sunshine can make such a difference!

Just generally finding things harder than they were last week/week before. Just less able to cope with stuff. I' m always amazed at how suddenly it hits, in spite of the good weather we've had. Started medication at the weekend, so that does tend to make me tired.

5HTP has worked wonders for me. I have started taking already this year and although i can already tell that i'm getting a few symptoms, it definitely takes the worst of it away

Hi all,
This might be a silly question, but how did those of you actually pick up the courage and go to see the doctor? I'm 17, and think I may suffer from SAD but I just can't bring myself to go to see the doctor as I think they will just say I'm being silly and need to get over it .. I just don't know how to go about talking to a professional about this? :/

I agree, you should go. That said I know how you feel, it's taken me a long time to visit my doctor, but I have now been and have to do a blood test next week to make sure it's not a thyroid problem or diabetes. My doctor did take me seriously. As purpleivy says, try taking someone close along with you for support.
Good luck!

That's good, PurpleIvy. Even in the Hebrides, the sun is shining for once and it makes such a difference! The sleeping tablets are working well, so I'm coping quite well for now. I suppose the next hurdle is the clocks going back. That always makes for a shaky time.

Symptoms for me:

1. Super social withdrawl
2. Over sensitive and take criticism badly
3. Eyes feel 'gritty' all the time
4. Aching limbs/limbs feel heavy
5. Feel tired even when having 8 hours sleep a night
6. Cannot organise myself when the rest of the year I am super organised
7. Just want to hibernate

There are probably loads more but those are the main ones...

Just wish other people would try and understand sometimes that I dont want to be like this and I am trying to do something about it each year.

x

i have started a facebook page called Seasonal affective disorder have a look and hook up easy place to chat.

Hi Mick1975, I think I would find Facebook a bit too public!

How does it affect me?

Low mood
Anxiety
Tired all the time but sleep is disturbed
Social withdrawal
Loose bowels
Feels like wading through treacle just to get the day done
Worry
Start things and don't finish them - which makes things worse!

I've was on holiday for a week in Greece which was great! Came back last week and SAD hit me like a hammer. It always takes me a few days to realise that's what it is - this year I thought it was after travelling back overnight and having my daughter's birthday the day we got back and stuff that had to be done. Took me until Saturday to bang head on forehead and think SAD. Got a doc's appointment tomorrow to see about upping my meds and the light box is going again.

dear all, my symptoms of sad, are,
tiredness in a morning,
fed up,
cant get going,
i wake at 8am day starts at 11am,
panic attacks,
depression,
christmas is a no go,
this year im armed with antidepressants beta blockers cbt and
newly purchased lamp, ive booked a week away for my birthday in early january, eventhough its local uk, its
something different to take my mind of
the dark miserable days/nights.
i am so glad if found this forum in feb this year, its lovley to share this awful ailment with others. debbie.

Hi Debbie,
Hope you get on well with your lamp. Mine was pretty much life-changing - it made the difference between being signed off work for 2 months during the winter, and being able to keep going right through (although hanging on by my fingertips sometimes!) I really wouldn't survive without it.

I'm still not sleeping, though, so the biggest problem just now is absolute exhaustion.

Hi Florana, and thanks for your reply. I have tried some sleep aids: first a course of prescribed sleeping tablets; now an over-the-counter one when I get desperate (fairly often, unfortunately). But I think I should look into herbal remedies a bit more as there must be many I haven't tried. At present I am reading Paul McKenna's book "I Can Make You Sleep" and hoping that that might give me some ideas - he mentions tryptophan too. And thank you for the link re the Vitamin D test.