Myra's story

The winter of 2000 was particularly bad for Myra. 'I got to the stage where I didn't care if I lived or died', explains Myra. 'I even began to think how I could stage an accident so it wouldn't look like suicide. Life became so difficult that I didn't want to carry on, and that scared me.'

Myra emigrated from Canada to Scotland in 1993 after being diagnosed as suffering from SAD (seasonal affective disorder). 'SAD affects me in two distinct ways. Without treatment, family life, personal life, work life - everything - is hell. Little hiccups in life can seem like insurmountable barriers. When the winter starts creeping up, around September, I find day-to-day life with SAD harder and harder to face. By January I am ready to find a tree to ram my car into!'

The second way SAD affects Myra is through treatment, known as light therapy. 'During the winter I follow a rigid routine of sitting at my computer every morning, from 7:30 to 8:30, with my lightbox on.'

'For years SAD completely dominated my life,' continues Myra. 'Finally, after the winter of 2000 I realised that no-one was going to help me, except me. I needed a support group but there wasn't one where I lived. So I set up my own in Laurencekirk.'

After starting the group, Myra went back to her GP to ask him why she hadn't been referred too the SAD clinic in Aberdeen. 'His answer was simply that he wasn't aware such a clinic existed. How sad is that?'

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Are you a success story?

As experts in light therapy, journalists often ask us for help in putting together features on light therapy, SAD, winter blues, sleep and jet lag. Sometimes they like to speak to someone that's been affected for a more personal insight. If light therapy has made a difference to your life, would you be interested in sharing your experience? To find out more about what's involved, please ring Lindsay on 01954 780500 or drop her an email.

 

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