I think my SAD syndrome has lifted!

[Millymollymandy]

I have never suffered from this before and have previously worked outdoors in the winter and always enjoyed it, but this winter probably due to the weather, either pouring with rain or frozen solid I just got more and more into hibernation mode and became completely unmotivated and lacking in enthusiasm for anything, and never wanted to go outside at all!

Thank god for the knitting, I don't know why I decided to pick it up (I'd bought the wool last April!!) but it was a godsend and got me through Nov - Feb and gave me something to do which I found enjoyable and with somethng to show for it.

I even had no interest in the holiday we had planned ages ago down to the Pyrenees area in April, I was at the point of thinking 'I don't know Spain, I think I'd rather go to England as at least I know it'.

But the last few weeks signs of spring have started appearing outside (although you have to look hard for them!) and I have been googling away researching my holiday and am getting really excited about that, have written a list of things to do in the garden before I go away (a list as long as my arm!) and have started on doing things outside, even though some days I had to force myself to do them.

Now the sun is shining , two weather forecasts show NO RAIN and mostly sun for the next 7-10 days and I'm feeling full of the joys of spring and much, MUCH better in myself. It wasn't depression at all but it was very depressING. Last night I did no knitting at all because I was much more interested to read my gardening magazine, something I hadn't even wanted to do at all during the winter!

Just wondered if anyone else suffers from it and what you do about it? I realise this winter was worse than most so I guess lots of you have felt pretty bleugh at times too.

[crowsashes]

for the past few months its been hell ive had no motivation and a total 'cant be arsed' attitude but the last few weeks ive got my drive back, even more so this week . ive gone out to salvage all manner of items from the garden, finally got things back to the level of tidiness i demand especially the kitchen and had a massive spring clean in there
im in the middle of doing the lounge now and rearranging furniture for the new book case im getting next week to finally give those piles of books a home!

i couldnt tell you if it because i suffer from SAD or if its because my partner has finally got the hint and started living in his own house or if the stress of bridezilla has finally dissipated

ive changed the curtains in my room ( did it last week) from my winter ones, thick heavy and block out the light, to my summer ones which let the light in, yup i must be mad to put summer curtains up but i really do benefit from waking naturally to the sunrise i was up at 6:30 this morning and the moon was still out, there was frost on the ground and the sun was peeking up over the horizon, it was amazing !

[Green Aura]

I think I've always had a tendency towards "winter blues" - not full SAD, just a struggle to function fully. When I was working full-time I always felt under-par, but of course you have to carry on.

The first time I think I had SAD was last winter (my first winter up here without the aid of anti-depressants!). I was determined not to go back on them, but by the end of January I was really struggling. So we invested in a medical-grade light lamp. I felt tons better within a week!

So this year we got it out at the end of november, used it every week morning (weekends we have a bit of a lie-in) and also took vit d supplements. I have to say I've felt pretty good all winter. I suppose, strangely, the snow has helped up here. The quality of light is poor in the winter, but the sun shining on the snow has magnified it enormously.

Glad you're feeling better MMM. I recommend the vit D even if you don't need a light lamp.

[bonniethomas06]

I know how you feel MMM - I have been the same. I basically do not live for January, February and most of march most years. I just feel asthough all of my life force has been sucked out of me, and I have no interest in anything apart from sleep, food and my sofa.

This was compounded this year by moving to a freezing cold old house and the coldest winter for years!

But today and yesterday, there has not been a cloud in the sky and I suddenly feel like a normal human being again. I have been plannig trips for the summer and obsessively planning what to plant in the garden - funny, because all of two weeks ago I couldn't bear to think of it and hadn't sown anything.

All this has got me very interested in Paganism - which seems to offer a coping strategy for the winter months, and a way to make sense of it all and keep the faith that it is all part of one big cycle being played out, with the good bits to follow the bad. I have found this really helpful and hope to get a bit more involved in it this year.

Roll on summer - cannot wait to be able to walk around on my lawn with bare feet again!

[Martina]

Glad to hear your are feeling better, MMM. Someone else has already mentioned vitamin D. However, it is worth knowing that Vitamin D requires Calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron and folic acid to be absorbed effectively. For my winter blues, I take a Calcium suppliment (why not fight osteoporosis while you're at it ) that has 400 iu of vitamin D (the recommended amount) added, because it also has all the other stuff in it too! I started doing this about three years ago, and it has really improved my winter experience; I cope a lot better.

Good luck on your holiday plans and to-do list!

Martina

[Odsox]

I can highly recommend St John's Wort for any kind of depression.
I suffered badly a few years back and when I eventually went to the doctor about it she prescribed some pills that I can't remember the name of and Xanax which well and truly zonked me out, but between them did actually cure me.
The next winter it all started to return and I took the dreaded pills again ... I say dreaded because the pills had noticable side effects which were unpleasant.
The next winter it all started again and this time I took St John's wort which also cured me but with absolutely no side effects.
I've been taking it ever since and never looked back.

[oldfella]

Just got started again, been reading alot thro the cold and wet days,and putting on weight, its the tea and friendship cakes you know, but just getting back into gear now, been in the garden for the last couple of days, and today was working in shirtsleeves, so hopefully the winter blues are gone for this year,

[citizentwiglet]

Isn't it remarkable what a few days of blue sky can do for the soul? It's been cold here, still, but beautifully sunny - and warm enough in the sun to get sheets dry, and there's nowt like line-dried sheets (how can something so simple feel so luxurious?). It's so lovely to see the first snowdrops out, my (forgotten about from last year) daffodils and tulips are poking through the earth......when the boys wake up at stupid o'clock in the morning I hear birdsong and see the light starting in the sky. Just gorgeous.

Of course, two straight days of usual West-Of-Scotland weather and I'll be back in the doldrums and need a kick up the posterior but hey, you gets your jollies where you finds em and makes the most of lovely days so you have good memories for the not-so-lovely days.

One bonus to this cold, cold, freezing weather we've been having is that it seems to have affected the Scottish midgie. There IS a God after all. (Mind you, bet the remaining ones gang up together and make a special effort to destroy OH.......for some reason me and the sprogs are all relatively immune to midgie-hell - they don't bite us, they just crawl and make us itch, but they eat OH alive).

SAD - I really think that, to a greater or lesser extent, we ALL get it. I think, as a species, we all need a degree of hibernation in accordance with the change in the amount of daylight; but hundreds of years of having to work for other people and earn a wage have rendered it impossible. If only we could all slow down a bit when the nights draw in, go to bed when our natural rhythms tell us to, to gather our strength for the coming year.

[growingthings]

Thank god for the knitting, I don't know why I decided to pick it up (I'd bought the wool last April!!) but it was a godsend and got me through Nov - Feb and gave me something to do which I found enjoyable and with somethng to show for it.

Still within topic but on a slightly different vain.
I was knitting whilst waiting to see my cardiology nurses, and she commented on the fact that I was knitting. We had a little conversation on the way down, and she explained that knitting is very beneficial to people who suffer with depression, for both the reasons you say above, and also it's something to do with the repeatition and the signals that that type of rhythm sends to the brain (as you can tell I don't remember the ins and outs - Iwas a little preoccupied !!) She said that all types of handwork like that are great for the brain and keeping them stimulated.

Just thought you might like to know, that you fully have my permission to knit (for medicinal purposes of course! )

Lorna x

[Millymollymandy]

Glad to hear your are feeling better, MMM. Someone else has already mentioned vitamin D. However, it is worth knowing that Vitamin D requires Calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron and folic acid to be absorbed effectively. For my winter blues, I take a Calcium suppliment (why not fight osteoporosis while you're at it ) that has 400 iu of vitamin D (the recommended amount) added, because it also has all the other stuff in it too! I started doing this about three years ago, and it has really improved my winter experience; I cope a lot better.

Good luck on your holiday plans and to-do list!

Martina

Funnily enough I have a calcium/Vit D supplement that's been sitting in my desk drawer for a while unused - think I'll start now!



Lorna - your posting has just popped up whilst I was typing the above - thanks for the permission, but I'm quite pleased that I'm actually going off the knitting! Did some Sudoku last night instead for my brian stimulation!

[Millymollymandy]

Oops or even brain stimulation!

[Odsox]

Who's Brian and how do you stimulate him ??

[becks77]

Glad you're feeling better, its not a pleasant experience ..SAD, roll on spring!

[Keaniebean]

Glad to hear your feeling better MMM, I totally agree that just a little sunshine after what feels like an eternity makes a world of difference. I got out of bed at 6.30 ish this morning to find the sun was already on its way, and yesterday was wonderful. I got out in my garden and put a few plants in that have been waiting since November!

I find the hardest thing in Winter is simply making it out of my bed! and I seem to spend the rest of the day tired and grouchy most of the time, so roll on the spring and a few lighter, brighter days and moods

[Millymollymandy]

I didn't think I'd be the only one who suffered so roll on spring and sunshine for those who don't already have it. I've already pruned all my roses, started tidying up my flower beds of all the dead stalky bits and am going to plant my shallots this afternoon. Just need the first daffy to come into flower then everything will be hunky dory - although I have discovered a solitary flower out already on my forsythia!

I love this time of year as so much starts to happen. The birdsong alone has lifted my spirits, just waiting for the first chiff chaff to arrive as its song (if you can call it that! ) always heralds the start of spring for me.