Anyone else here suffer from this disorder? It took several years before I figured it out. I just start taking 5HTP in Oct to keep my sertonin levels up and keep taking it until Feb.-March.
Yeah... my best way around it is to be outside as much as possible and/or to keep busy as much as possible. I've heard there are special lightbulbs that are supposed to help, though I dont know where you'd find them. Being outside as much as possible probably does the same job, anyway.
This season has been different than the last two. Not so much saddness but lots more negative attitudes overall
I do... i havent always suffered from it, but i went through a period of severe depression a few years ago and ive got pretty bad SAD ever since. Its made worse by the fact that my house has no electricity, so evenings in are spent entirely in the dark! Ive got pretty good at sorting myself out though... regular structure, getting out and about every day. I volunteer at a community cafe so i go there pretty much every day and surround myself with lovely friendly people. I go out alot.. not to drink but just to spend time with friends, share food.. i spend alot of time in communal spaces. Getting up early to catch a full 6 hours of daylight helps too!
Today we got snow for the first time this year. Just flurries... I suppose it could be pretty. But for me its just reminding me of how cooped up Ill be for the next 3 or so months. Took me a few years too, to figure out what the heck my problem was. The shortness of the days. The lack of dawn in the morning. etc etc etc. Depressing. Apparently SAD lessens as you get older. Lamps used for light therapy are about 10 to 20 times as bright as ordinary indoor lighting. Dunno if its a light you can pick up just anywhere, but worth looking into
take some vitamin d. sunlight causes your body to produce vitamin d. I take a pill and when it is sunny i lay inside in the sun rays. I want to move down south for the winter.
nope.. I stand in front of metal halides and high pressure sodium lamps for at least an hour a day.. you can use a tanning bed.. while the tanning bed may be harmful and cause skin cancer, it is a good for combating SAD.. 5/10 minutes not enough to tan or burn, but enough to make you feel better.. what others said about lamps its true..
Hold on a sec, orison, The cancer risk may be worse than anyone thinks.. LONDON - International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, deeming them as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32187497/ns/health-cancer/ ZW
