Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

[Scary Bear]

I think I might have this. Every year I have really low moods during the Winter months. Can’t just be a coincidence, can it?

[Scary Bear]

Turns out I’ve already been diagnosed.

 

[Rizzo]

Not sure if it's related but I fucking hate winter. Folk will reference cosy nights in with a hot drink, Christmas and snow days but I genuinely detest December and January. 

I honestly can't think of anything good about winter aside from seeing some migrant wildlife and have a wee celebration on the 21st December when it officially starts it's end.

I suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder and that always gets worse at this time of year so I'm in a bad mood constantly.

[Genuine Hibs Fan]

2 minutes ago, Rizzo said:

Not sure if it's related but I fucking hate winter. Folk will reference cosy nights in with a hot drink, Christmas and snow days but I genuinely detest December and January. 

I honestly can't think of anything good about winter aside from seeing some migrant wildlife and have a wee celebration on the 21st December when it officially starts it's end.

I suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder and that always gets worse at this time of year so I'm in a bad mood constantly.

Same. I like the festive period mainly as an excuse to have a little mini hibernation, and I enjoy a crisp clear winter's morning on the weekend. But otherwise December and January can get in the sea

[MONKMAN]

Winter, means winter climbing and skiing.

It gets a thumbs up from me.

[Derry Alli]

Mates old man gets it bad. 3 month off a year, every year from the wind turbines on full pay. He's also had to self isolate most of this year as he has some asthma like problem, on full pay. 

Fell out a window he'd go upwards, the c**t. 

[8MileBU]

41 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

I think I might have this. Every year I have really low moods during the Winter months. Can’t just be a coincidence, can it?

Same as above in general, but this morning whilst the mood is fine, I feel physically lousy. 

[velo army]

I don't like this being framed as a "disease" but it is a real thing. In fact, it's wholly natural.

We're supposed to take it easy in Winter, it's what we're evolved to do; get enough food in and stay warm and do not a lot until Spring. It's only in the last 150 years that we've been required (demanded?) to keep up the same productivity levels throughout the year that we now hit a wall.

As soon as it gets to 3.30pm and the lights go off outside I can feel my body being flooded with melatonin. My whole being just wants to do f**k all after that time. I force myself to do uni work, but it feels like my whole being, physically and mentally, is wading through tar. 

I can see this hitting particularly hard this winter. The loneliness caused by the imposed isolation is going to exacerbate the feeling of melancholy most feel at this time of year, and the anxiety levels which would normally be soothed by being in physical proximity to friends and lovers are heightened. 

Be really gentle with yourselves this year a'body. Do what you need to do to take care of yourselves. This might mean taking a day off here and there. For those on zero hour this might seem like  financial madness, but taking yourself out to walk up a hill or play football with your pals might be the radical self love you need (and I was, until a few weeks ago, on a zero hour contract too).

This isn't an individual disorder by the way. There is nothing "wrong" with you if you experience this. Like almost all depressive "disorders" it's mostly caused by us living a life contrary to our nature. Capitalism demands the same effort all year with no regard to the seasonal rhythms of our bodies, and when our bodies and souls rebel our social conditioning tells us that there is something about us that needs to be fixed and adjusted. 

So in short, aye, I do experience this, and at times pretty badly. I used to see it as a problem I had. I now see it as a reminder to nourish myself with food, rest, outdoor activity and oxytocin (ask your friends for a hug....shitebag if ye dinnae!!). To be clear this is a reminder that I don't always listen to and I find myself numbing with alcohol and takeaway food, so I'm not putting myself on a pedestal here. 

Take good care of yourselves chaps/chapettes/chapneutrals

[dorlomin]

My routine for winter is on thin ice in terms of clear scientific evidence but I take 5HTP, magnesium and Vitamin D supplements in the morning and use a SAD lamp early on. In theory this helps the circadian rhythm as your body is supposed to start the day with a lot of light to produce serotonin. This helps set up a good mood and energetic day. In should be producing melatonin in the night in the dark. These help set when you sleep and wake. Not having the sun in the mornings means (well its my unscientific guess) your body does not get a good shot of serotonin to wake up. I will openly admit this may be pure placebo on my part and has been hacked together by reading lots of conflicting sources. 

I also make sure I spend my lunch hour outside walking to soak up some natural light in the eyes. 

I also eat at the same time every day as often as I can, which helps also help the circadian rhythm. 

5HTP does have a significant affect on some medicines so this is not advice, see a doctor etc, its just me explaining my day. 

 

Edited to add I also use a small lamp on a timer to turn on about half an hour before I wake, this mimics dawn and helps wake up in the light every day. My "alarm" is a sleep cycle app that measures when I am at the end of a sleep cycle so in theory you wake up a lot less groggy. Its not 100% fool proof but its been a huge change in mood over winters in the past 2 years. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by dorlomin

[Sergeant Wilson]

29 minutes ago, dorlomin said:

 use a SAD lamp early on. 

 

I had to sit near someone using one of them. It was like sitting next to a St Catherine's light house.

[Big Rider]

1 hour ago, Rizzo said:

Not sure if it's related but I fucking hate winter. Folk will reference cosy nights in with a hot drink, Christmas and snow days but I genuinely detest December and January. 

I honestly can't think of anything good about winter aside from seeing some migrant wildlife and have a wee celebration on the 21st December when it officially starts it's end.

I suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder and that always gets worse at this time of year so I'm in a bad mood constantly.

I agree totally with this. I detest winter. The rare crisp, clear days don’t make up for living, quite literally, in a cloud for the rest of the time. I hate the feeling of being cooped up, the darkness, the feeling of torpor, the idleness. Everything annoys me, I grump at the kids and only open my mouth to moan about something.

In the  the past I’ve been able to get through it by trying to join in with Christmas parties, decorating the house, buying the kids presents etc but this year for me has been the worst it’s felt for a while. I’m working from home now and my motivation level has reduced to zero since mid November. I really can’t be arsed looking for presents, putting up the tree or the other festive activities that at least get you through the end of November into December. My wife dug me up for my low mood and lack of enthusiasm last week. She says my personality has completely changed. She was right to do it but I couldn’t and still can’t help it. We’ve  agreed that this  week I’ll use a SAD light box at my desk and I’m going to head out for a walk each day during the day with the hope that I can improve my mood. At this point it feels like it’s going to be a long hard slog ahead.

 

[bennett]

It can get you down especially when it's a few months of constant dreichness,  some really good posts on here explaining and offering help.

[NotThePars]

Not sure if it's related but I fucking hate winter. Folk will reference cosy nights in with a hot drink, Christmas and snow days but I genuinely detest December and January. 
I honestly can't think of anything good about winter aside from seeing some migrant wildlife and have a wee celebration on the 21st December when it officially starts it's end.
I suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder and that always gets worse at this time of year so I'm in a bad mood constantly.

It’s taken a lot of work for me over the last few years to try and get into the mindset of enjoying what are maybe the better parts of winter that you sort of allude to at the top of this post.

That’s not to say it’s just about changing your mindset cause that’s a lot of take personal responsibility nonsense but I do feel a lot better in the winter months than I used to.

I’m lucky as well in that I don’t have any problems with mobility or invisible illnesses that are exacerbated by the cold. I’ve known people with conditions like fibromyalgia and it’s brutal.

[The Moonster]

Haven't ever been diagnosed with anything like this but I despise the winter months all the same. Getting up in the dark, sitting in an office with no windows all day, home in the dark. I could easily go the winter months without seeing the sun Monday to Friday. I get half an hour for my lunch so not really even enough time to go out a walk if I actually want to eat something. 

I also absolutely despise Christmas and pretty much everything that comes with it which I don't think helps. Especially in Scotland where you get fucking mutants talking about it from October.

[101]

2 hours ago, Tynierose said:

Before I had kids I would always go on holiday in January just to break up the misery that is winter.

I agree in fact I think the SG should pay for folk to go away in January to top up on sunlight and generally not be cold for a week or 2.

[101]

2 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Haven't ever been diagnosed with anything like this but I despise the winter months all the same. Getting up in the dark, sitting in an office with no windows all day, home in the dark. I could easily go the winter months without seeing the sun Monday to Friday. I get half an hour for my lunch so not really even enough time to go out a walk if I actually want to eat something. 

I also absolutely despise Christmas and pretty much everything that comes with it which I don't think helps. Especially in Scotland where you get fucking mutants talking about it from October.

Depending on what you do could you not seek out for a "smoking break" say twice for 10/15 mins just to get out in the daylight. Like you say it's horrible spending the whole day in the dark.

[The Moonster]

6 minutes ago, 101 said:

Depending on what you do could you not seek out for a "smoking break" say twice for 10/15 mins just to get out in the daylight. Like you say it's horrible spending the whole day in the dark.

I'm in the midst of quitting smoking so I've been trying to avoid going outside at break times so I don't feel inclined to have a cigarette. Probably something I'll need to do though.

[101]

7 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

I'm in the midst of quitting smoking so I've been trying to avoid going outside at break times so I don't feel inclined to have a cigarette. Probably something I'll need to do though.

Best of luck kicking them, hope it goes well. Maybe having some chewing gum and listening to a podcast might help keep you distracted.

[Granny Danger]

3 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

Turns out I’ve already been diagnosed.

 

I’ve still never received my fee for that consult btw.

When I retire we plan to move abroad, one of the benefits being the ability to go for walks almost every day of the year without having to protect against cold and rain/snow for much of the time.

 

[101]

6 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

I’ve still never received my fee for that consult btw.

When I retire we plan to move abroad, one of the benefits being the ability to go for walks almost every day of the year without having to protect against cold and rain/snow for much of the time.

 

Hate to tell you that come countries are colder and wetter than here.