Do you have SAD

How do you know if you have SAD?

Here are some of the symptoms I experience …. This may not cover them all so please feel free to add any of your own …

• Tired all the time – My bones feel heavy, almost like they are made of lead.

• Sleeping problems - I find that I can’t sleep very well. I wake up a lot, not always due to my partner and his snoring  then I have a huge battle falling back to sleep. I also want to sleep all of the time. Waking up in the morning is a major struggle. Getting out of bed, well, let’s just say “monumental effort”. Also, I find some days at work, it can be an almost impossible task just to stay awake.

• Cravings – in general just overeating and constantly craving carbohydrates and sweet foods. When I start to struggle to stay on track, thinking that I cant be bothered to diet and wanting my favourite "comfort foods", I know it's my SADs. I have always gained weight in the winter, and try desperately hard lose it again once summer is here.

• Irritable and don’t want to be social - I'll feel like I just want the whole world to go away. I struggle to cope with loud or lengthy conversations, and am intolerant to waffle, I can feel my blood pressure rising and have to force myself not to scream ‘shut-up’. This in turn makes me feel guilty and leads to tears and sometimes arguments

• Tense and everything seems overwhelming – the littlest thing will be too much for me to deal with. Making a decision in the winter is an absolute no no for me, although I have ended two relationships in the middle of the Winter months, both decisions did turn out to be for the best.

• Miserable, guilt (for not wanting to be around people), low self-esteem, sometimes hopelessness and despair, sometimes apathy or even a complete loss of feelings These are just some of the emotions (or lack of) that I might go through during Winter.

• Emotional – this is usually the first sign for me that I need to take action. At the onset of the real winter days/nights I cry for absolutely no reason. I am impossible to get along with, I have no patience and make those close to me extremely unhappy with my bouts of anger/despair.

I can identify with all of the above and have been experiencing this on and off for the past 30 years or so. Also have suffered from bouts of clinical depression but the SAD really can bring me to my knees. Am trying a new approach this year - still using the lightboxes but also have taken up Yoga and am on a weightloss kick. Since New Year have lost 8 pounds and feel so much more awake already - its a positive thing which I always find helps even though the thought can be very scary at times. Would like to hear other people's experiences/coping mechanisms. This is my first day on the forum.

Hi Linda
I am still struggling, although I have started to feel like there is light :)
How are you doing Linda? Geordie Girl?

This winter has felt like wading through thick mud - totally horrible. I know some of this has been because of ongoing health problems, and I'm trawling through a welter of health-care appointments and referrals, and now awaiting test results. This has impacted on my mood in quite a big way, so even though it's getting lighter, I feel quite desperate sometimes, and resorting to sleeping-tablets at times just so I can cope the next day. As for weight loss - well, it's quite impossible just now as I'm on steroids and unable to exercise. And I've just raided the fridge for kitkats.....
Worst winter for some time. :(

Hi fernspray

I really hope that you will find your light box does help when you start to use it. Dont expect it to work immediately - you need to give it at least three weeks of daily use I would say from my own experience. The symptoms that you have listed are all ones that I can identify with but the light box should really help - I would be lost without mine and I also have a desk lamp for daily use at work which is invaluable and also a Lumie Alarm Clock which wakes me up every morning to a bedroom bathed in light even if it is pitch dark outside. Good Luck - Geordie Girl

Linda, I'm sorry I didn't see your post before - I wasn't subcribed to this thread. I'm sorry you're continuing to have such a hard time. It's bad enough having SAD, but having the daily tiredness of chronic health problems on top of it must be really wearing you down. Without getting into too much detail, if you'd rather not, has there been any help come from your test results? How're you doing now?

Fernspray - yay for ordering yourself a light! :) When I got mine, years ago, it was a complete revelation! I hope it'll be the same for you. I have read several times that sometimes if you're already 'in the grip' of the symptoms, it can take a while to feel the benefit, but it's ligtening up now anyway, so hopefully the combined effects will help you. :)

How was it Fernspray ?
I have my litepod at work, on my desk - it goes on every mornign without fail and stays on until around midday from early September until middle/end March.