When the days start getting shorter and colder, and the nights longer and darker, many people start to suffer from winter depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD.)
Cheer up, you have a recognized medical condition
Don’t worry, summer is only six months away.
One of the worst aspects of any form of depressive illness is the sense of utter isolation and loneliness it induces. There is thus some comfort to be drawn by SAD sufferers from the fact that you are surrounded by people who feel equally grouchy and nihilistic around this time of year.
Without doubt the most effective clinically proven remedy for SAD is “light therapy,” which has been shown to benefit some 80-85 percent of cases. Simple as it sounds this actually involves rather more than just turning on a light and sitting beside it for a while twiddling your thumbs as renewed cheer inexorably suffuses your being.
Fortunately, specially designed light boxes have been developed that emit precisely the right amount of illumination. These can be bought from specialist retailers and, at their most basic, cost around $190. By sitting in front of one for a certain period each day — 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the severity of your conditions — symptoms gradually subside.
CNN did an update spot on SAD lights, this morning. Interesting to learn that blue light was the critical part of the spectrum.
I thought the neatest device they showed was a sunrise light – a small hemisphere for your bedroom that imitates the rising sun and gradually wakes you by lighting up the room.
I get blue in the winter and have tried to use full spectrum bulbs in my house. I think I’ll get a light bax and a sunrise simulator to see if this works. It’s nice to see the media pick up on treatments that don’t involve drugs.
Fall in love with something new during the winter, whether it’s a person, hobby or thing and watch the winter blues (depression) turn into winter reds (passion).
I actually like the winter. In the heat of summer I hate leaving the A/C.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD.)
Ok now… Did that acronym just happen to be S.A.D. by coincidence? I mean, come on.
The extended darkness in Winter sucks. The only thing about Summer I don’t like is humidity. If it’s 90′ and sunny, I’ll smear on a half a bottle of lotion and lay out to drink beer and read a book or drink beer and work on the landscaping. I hate being indoors while the sun is out.
I used to do snowshoe camping and ski camping in Winter, but now I just feel the cold sucks (probably age). Sitting out in the hot tub while a light snowfall is happening is fun so it’s not all bad. If a person could put up stadium lighting with full spectrum bulbs to extend the day in their own yard, it probably wouldn’t be as bad.
I have S.A.D. – Stupidity About Depression. I know what is real and what is bunk, and I call this “disease” pure bunk. Am I alone in this opinion? If I am, than I am SAD for our country.
Advice: Norwegian fish oils.
Frankly, I think this is an issue that deserves more attention and I am outraged that my medical insurance won’t pay for a holiday in Cuba to help me through the winter….
As someone who lived in perpetual summer for many years, I can agree to this. In the tropics you tend to lose track of the date, there is no seasonal change. But I did miss fall, and not winter at all.
I have S.A.D. It’s not made up trust me. I’ve always preferred winter because summers in North Carolina a so damn hot and humid. Even though I love winter I was always depressed from about mid-fall to spring. Now I take anti-depressants for about 4 months and I’m fine. They don’t make overly happy or anything like that they just counter act what the loss of sun light does. I feel like I do the rest of the year. I’d like to get one of the lights and keep it at work to see if I could get through winter without the meds. However, right now $10/month for 4 months is more doable financially doable then $190+ for the lamp.
For those in the colder climes might I suggest iceboating for an infusion of adrenaline. Nothing like going across the ice at 40-100mph.
http://www.iceboat.org
I am one of those people that do have an overriding mood change during the winter months. It is not quite full blown depression but could be if I were predisposed. I think it does have to do with having less sunlight and not having the option of getting outside during the day without having to plan what I have to wear and how much to wear. Winter is too restricting. Persons have to be alone with themselves or others against their confort zones during the season. The colors in nature themselves turn from bight green and blue to mostly drab brown and gray.
I have been able to overcome the “depression” by committing to an exercise routine all year that changes very little during the winter months. It makes me feel healthy all winter and by spring I’m good to go.
For those of you who think that someone else’s discomfort is irrelevent. Fuck You!
In answer to my own question in #4, I get #7…
So 7 is the number of posts it will take for some scientific philistine to call mental illness a load of crap
#13 – For those of you who think that someone else’s discomfort is irrelevent. Fuck You!
Your sudden outburst of hostility has made me feel discomforted 🙁
13. “I have been able to overcome the “depression” by committing to an exercise routine all year that changes very little during the winter months. It makes me feel healthy all winter and by spring I’m good to go.”
I am with you on this. This is key, I think. I think an excersise routine is the best way to get rid of depression, in any season. Focusing on getting yourself in shape gives you a goal and just generally makes you feel good.
Its not SAD, its just YASD$
(Yet Another Stupid Disease created to extort $ from the stupid public)
I agree with 17
and also, I live in Canada. Summer is not only six months away from the beginning of winter, which is october.
You think SAD isn’t real? Move to Canada my friend, perferably around the 54th parallel, and talk to me about the middle of February. Better still, move to Fairbanks. (PS…why do you need air conditioning in Florida? What’s wrong with a bit of heat and humidity in July?)
-I use a light visor and it helps a lot. I typically use it in the hour right after sunset, though for many people it is better in the morning.
-I try to do anything I can to avoid taking naps, particularly in the first hour of darkness.
-Sleep deprivation – forcing yourself to stay awake – is also helpful.
-Ditto on exercise.
-I have not done this yet, but melatonin, taken 4-6 hours before normal bedtime is supposed to keep the circadian rhythms regular.
-Circadian rhythms, in the absense of sunlight or other sensory inputs, actually tend towards 25 hours rather than 24 hours. In the darkest part of winter, my bedtime will slip later up to an hour each night, if I am not careful. It is very important to have a consistent bedtime during the SAD season.
-Alcohol late at night can keep you from falling asleep when you should.
-I try to avoid large meals, and eat sugar and high-glycemic carbs in moderation, as those tend to make me fall asleep at odd hours.
John mentions “norwegian fish oils” – I’ve noted that foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as finfish and nuts, are good for my mood. Ditto Vitamin B12 + Folate.
I can sometimes get moody during dark winter months, expecially if its’s a long spell of overcast, rainy weather. As Kurt Cobain said in one of his songs “weather changes moods” My best ways to counteract:
– Stay active and exercise throughout week.
– Somehow get outside. One of my favorites is snowboarding/skiiing in the winter. I know it’s only every other week or so but it has the feeling of conquering/enjoying winter as opposed to being opressed by it. I know it’s not an option for everyone but there are other creative outdoor activities.
– Agree with the lighting advice though I’ve never really looked into it fully.
I hope you have a happy (or at least less sad) winter!
well, drug yourself if your mind is really so weak that you get depression just because its dark and cold outside LOl
But seriously, please don’t have any children – ever – if there is any slightest chance it might be passed onto your offspring… let’s keep human race healthy and disease-free 🙂
Why does everything have to be a disease? I’m not against taking meds but you would be suprised at how simple changes to your diet can dramatically affect your health (good/bad). Someone mentioned fish oil (wild salmon) for omega-3. What goes in to your body will have some effect on your body! I know someone at work that eats all kinds of greasy fatty food and takes a load meds for high blood pressure, high colesterol, etc. He says that since he takes all the meds, he can still eat that crap. He will probably go on disability at some point.
I just laugh when I picture some poor sap walking around with a light on his head and a bunch of magnets taped to his joints! Sorry OFTLO, you left a hanging curve out over the plate.
#13 I missed your post earlier…
“For those of you who think that someone else’s discomfort is irrelevent. Fuck You!”
Well, I am healthy, I feel great, and I dont give a rat’s ass about your mental deviation (just so you know 🙂 ) so I take it that your “fuck you” comment was indeed to people like me.
I can assure you , that it made me feel EVEN BETTER – because nothing makes us treasure our own ‘comfort’ than reminder of someone else’s discomfort 🙂 Thank you 🙂
#26 – Glad to help out. Here’s some more. Eat shit asshole. There’s more where that came from so just let me know when you need more.
#26 – I dont give a rat’s ass
That’s plaining obvious, you miserable fuckwit.
#28 – It’s also PLAINLY obvious, to boot…
In case anyone wasn’t aware, the number “8” corresponds to the letter “H”, as in “H— H—–“.
#27 now obviously you have your sad YASD$ and dose of extra hatrence mixed with jealousy because of me LOL I didn’t mean to make you feel worse. 🙂
I’m sorry… NOT
There’s a lot of immature people on this board and I’m not talking about the ones who admit depression.
Do you think it’s part of the conspiracy that some of the more gifted members of out scientific and creative heritage were overcome by bi- or uni- polar syndromes?
I will admit this, many studies have proven that there is a negative correlation between IQ and depression. However, in the 99.75 percentile, there is a positive correlation. This positive correlation is also true for the creative types. All this conspires to affect no change at all. An average number of people will become depressed, regardless of diet. Coping is a skill not easily learned.
As you have already guessed it, my angry anti-SADs, I, too, have suffered from depression. Although I have survived without parmaceuticals for three years, I would not hesitate to return to the fold.
Unlike, apparently, you, I have lost SIX friends to depression. These were all wonderful people who were not lost sheep or suckers, as you opined. I wish they had pulled this wool over their eyes and sought help from psychiatry, instead of drugs and guns to faces.
Grow up. I suspect you all will, as you are probably teenagers feigning wisdom.
Bryan Carney