| A
male
,
anonymous
writes: I don't know why but recently I have felt a little low, and a bit down. I have been quite tired a lot too and felt worn out. I have been working quite a bit, and my job is very physical with lifting heavy goods. I go too the gym three times a week too. I'm just lacking enthusiasm too, with my relationship. Im fine when I see my girlfriend, but don't feel in a kissy mood and like too be quiet. However my girlfriend is paranoid and asks me why im being quiet and I don't want too upset her as its out of my control.I have had this low feeling before, about a year ago, and my mum reckons its 'S.A.D' (Seasonal Affective Disorder) due too darker nights. It lasted most of the summer and went in August from March.Has anyone else had this, and if so how can I get rid of it? Is it depression, as I don't feel it is. It maybe im overworked.Im not at all happy at college lately. And thats the only thing I can think of as It came on a few days before college.Please respond Reply to this Question
Share |
Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
reader, anonymous, writes (9 January 2007): hehe WW, I did that last month, went to Barbado's for a week, it really helped... I'm sure you know how *particularly* great it is to be in sunshine during the middle of december!
Global warming isn't all bad ;)
A
female
reader, willywombat  +, writes (9 January 2007):
 Pete is spot on. I am a sufferer of SAD also, but have been told by various so called 'professionals' that it doesn't exsist. I have found (when I can afford it, which was pre-being a student again) that an annual jaunt to the Carribean works very well alongside a light box. So if anybody out there fancies funding a poor student for a trip to St Lucia or thereabouts feel free.
:-)
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (9 January 2007): I just came across your question,
I have had seasonal affective disorder for at least 10 years. It's one of those weird disorders that a lot of people either haven't heard of it or think its all in your head.. unfortunately it does really exist.
I spent 7 years before I even realised that there was a pattern to my depression. It has damaged my career, my relationships, my home life, my friendships, my social life. It has affected my whole life. Sometimes I feel like there are two Dr Pete's, an extroverted summer one and an introverted depressed winter one.
Luckily I have a sense of humour but all those reading this who have suffered from any kind of depression or problem relating to the mind will appreciate this situation I had when I first went to get "help". I went to the Doctors in my final year at university, I was way behind with all my essays and it was the first time I was seeking medical help. Luckily for me [sarcasm intended] I got to see a student doctor. I told him that I suffer from S.A.D. and had been taking a combination of St Johns Wort and 5-HTP (both available from highstreet) for the last few years but that I was having a particularly difficult year and I needed a medical certificate so that my lecturers would go easy on me.
This guy baring in mind he had probably been studying medicine for years looked at me with a blank, confused look on his face and said "sorry? what? seasons? I don't understand" and he really didn't know what I was talking about. He'd never heard of it, and thought I was a little bit crazy. Imagine though you're in the mist of feeling depressed, you have social anxiety, you hadn't left your room for days, it had taken you months to get the courage to get an appointment, your hygiene was low, you were just a mess really. Not good!! Any way I asked to speak to a properly qualified doctor and she immediately gave me a medical certificate no questions asked and said "come back next year if it's still a problem!!!" again, I was thankful I have a sense of humour hearing a sentance like that, dumbass...
Any way, I could waffle about S.A.D. for hours because I have since spent a long time researching it and getting to know fellow sufferers but here are your options really.
1. If you are a mild sufferer, you can get by with just being aware of your condition. Depressed people tend to stay indoors and avoid light, which for SAD suffers makes them worse. You MUST get outside the house for at least 30 minutes. Even if it is overcast, there is still enough lux in the light to stimulate your brain. Your girlfriend and family have to be aware that you may show depressed signs. Depression websites are everywhere so you can look up the symptoms, there are so many.
2. You can try natural remedies such as the ones I've suggested, St Johns Wort and 5-HTP. SJW works very effectively for mild-moderate depression and works in the same way as prescribed anti-depressants - they are however - natural. 5-HTP is a little less heard of. This is basically a precursor to Serotoin. Serotoin is responsible for mood, sleep, sex drive and appetite. All these are affected by S.A.D.
3. Anti depressants. You are unlikely to be prescribed these unless you have other psychological problems. This is because they arn't really created to be taken intermitantly throughout the year. If you go to a GP with SAD symptoms and they immediately prescribe you anti-depressants you should get a second opinion.
4. Light therapy! This is actually the most successful forms of treatment for S.A.D. It basically involves having a very, very bright light box that you position in your room and you expose yourself to it (no, no, no, don't pull your pants down, I mean, your eyes need to be exposed to it) for around 30 minutes per day. That's 30 minutes per day, every day during the dark months. There is pressure from various groups to include these boxes on the NHS. But, I don't think this will happen for a long while, if at all. You can though, buy them online. They are around £200 pounds. You must buy one that is bright enough, it has to be "10,000 LUX" and be a minimum of around 18 inches of light tubes. These should show changes in your mood quite quickly. Look on Google for "light therapy" and "SAD light".
5. This is experimental but Hypnotherapy is another option. I am a qualified hypnotherapist and keep meaning to use self-hypnosis to stimulate my peneal gland to see how well it works but I haven't really got around to it this year as it hasn't really hit me as bad as last year. Not many people realise this but with hypnosis you can directly affect your physical body because you can take control of what is called the parasymphetic nervous system. It is why you can numb your body from pain so easily (a hypnotherapist can stop you needing anaestetic if you are having a tooth pulled, or having surgery). Any way, enough of the hypnotherapy plugging. It's something to think about if all else fails!
Those are your options really. This though, will not just go away. That is what all depressed people think. I spent 8 years ignoring it.. some of those years I would go weeks without leaving my house, I'd have panic attacks around large groups of people, I was well and truely a mess! I just ignored the problem and hoped it would go away, but it just got worse. I hate the fact that for some part of the year I am not "myself" but then again, I'm otherwise perfectly healthy, I have all my limbs, my sanity, and so many other things in life so it's not so bad. Plus, I think I'll probably have a second home in a hot country in the not so distant future so I can go somewhere sunny when I need to - you should plan the same!!
Any how hope some of this has been of some help, if you want to talk to me any more about SAD feel free to send me a message on here!
Peter
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (7 January 2007): We are all affected by the lack of sun, THE most important vitamin that you are lacking during this time is vitamin D so be sure and pick up a supplement or take a good multi-vitiamin plus extra D to get that 100% for the day, I like Centrum for a multi-vitamin.
You may suffer from a mild depression and may want to talk to your doctor about this and try taking an anti-depressant, especially if you don't have any enjoyment of life for more than 2 weeks....sometimes we just get bored as well, so if you are a guy with no hobbies like reading a good novel or studying something just for fun, then you may want to take one up....the gym is great, excercise helps alot, but even your usual routine can be boring, so change your excercises to something new to elleviate that boredom.
...............................
A
female
reader, Nikita +, writes (6 January 2007):
 Yes it could be SAD. My mum suffers from this actually and she feels ever so low in the Winter months when the evenings are darker. She bought a light box and she says it has helped a little. There are plenty of websites that you can look up which provide much more info than I can give you. It could be depression. The symptons you describe are similiar or it could be that you're just overworked and having a low spot. Lots of people feel like this on occassion, me included. Sometimes, it doesnt even have to be a reason. You just feel low with no apparent explaination. I would suggest trying a herbal remedy at first. Pop along to a health shop and tell them you need a pick me up! There are loads of rememdies out there and some really do work. Ive tried a few myself. Try St Johns Wort. Thats quite good or gingseng is useful. Even plain vitamins as you could be lacking in something in your diest. try vitamin B6 and also iron. Some of the Bach flower rememdies are good too. Ask your pharmasist or try the health shop. They will tell you the best ones to try. If you still feel low after trying this then see your doctor as you could well be suffering from mild depression. Hope you feel better soon x
...............................
|
