SAD / Winter depression

[Softy]

I am Day 47 AF today and I have been going the gym five days per week and eating well. I have lost nearly a stone in weight and should be feeling great. As some may have noticed by my flounce on Monday (see What Next? Thread) I started to wonder why I was feeling so crappy. My depression seems to be building a head of steam.

I have been told that I could have seasonal affective disorder and to buy a light box which I did today, it should arrive tomorrow.

Does anyone else suffer?

Is it a real illness or a made up "syndrome"?

For years I have struggled in winter, leading me to drink even more than usual and on occasions has left me needing anti depressants.

If this helps it will be money well spent.

[Chief Bromden]

SAD / Winter depression

You might want to have your vit. D level checked - a major cause of winter blues.

[gettinitright]

SAD / Winter depression

It is a real disorder. The Vit D level is why they say to use the light. My sister has severe SAD. We used to hate to see October hit because she was slap ass nuts from October to March every yr.. I hope the light helps.

[Softy]

SAD / Winter depression

Slap Ass Nuts - pretty much spot on description of me during winter.

Thanks for the info ref vitamin D - will look into vitamin supplements

[Sake123]

SAD / Winter depression

That's exactly what I was going to say. Some take up to 10,000 UI's a day. Especially if you're in an area that is cloudy/rainy a lot. Washington state (where I live) is like living in a fog for 9 months out of the year. Hope D helps Softy!!

[gettinitright]

SAD / Winter depression

Softy, I bet the light helps a lot. My sister for a long time, we didn't know what her problem was. She was misdiagnosed several times. It was REALLY bad. She would attempt suicide over and over. Do crazy things...once took her 4 kids hitchhiking from NV to OKLA. She was very sick. Once we knew what was wrong IF she stays on her meds and does as told, she does ok. Her issue is she feels better and stops doing what she is supposed to. Stick with it!!!

[paulywogg]

SAD / Winter depression

Softy,im wondering if it isnt sad but a normal "depression"caused because of the brain re-wiring itself from quitting the booze,ive read up on this because i get it off and on too,id love if any long termers would weigh in on this and how they felt around this time sober

[NoSugar]

SAD / Winter depression

Softy;1572610 wrote: Slap Ass Nuts - pretty much spot on description of me during winter.

Thanks for the info ref vitamin D - will look into vitamin supplements

Hey, Softy

Fermented cod liver oil is a good place to get your vitamin D during the darker days. The FCLO has other fat soluble vitamins that should be in balance with D. I get mine here: Green Pasture Products.

NS

[free at last]

SAD / Winter depression

Hi Softy,
I have SAD and know how real it is. We plan two holidays each winter (even just for a weekend) to a sunny climate just so I can get a boost of sunshine.

[MossRose]

SAD / Winter depression

Softy - SAD is very real. As the others have said - Vit D is a good place to start. I'll be curious how the lights work for you. I may buy some to if they help you. I also take a good dose of Omega 3s daily. Seems to help with depression year-round, so maybe I'll take even more now that winter is coming.

[Chief Bromden]

SAD / Winter depression

On my PC instead of phone, so a bit more time.

Now, I'm not a doc (!) and not an expert, but I have been occupied with health for a good couple of years.

I first mentioned vitamin D (which isn't so much a vitamin as a hormone, which makes it easier to understand why it can have such a quick and dramatic effect) because - depending on age - many people have a deficiency, or better, a less than ideal level. Many alcoholics are also not known for being very outgoing and sporty, so they might be at even greater risk.

Sake123;1572615 wrote: That's exactly what I was going to say. Some take up to 10,000 UI's a day. Especially if you're in an area that is cloudy/rainy a lot.
I would say that's a lot, but it could be the right dose for some. Ideally, you'd have your level checked by a blood test, but as vit. D. is a) so cheap and b) the risks of poisoning are relatively small, you can skip that step, and take, like many docs here recommend, 25,000 IU per week of good quality fat soluble vit D.

The best source would still be the sun, but depending on where you live, it might not be enough. Even a very sunny winter will not solve a potential problem as the sun needs to be at an angle > 45? to be effective. And from a certain age, you might not be very good at absorbing the natural source anyway.

After a deficiency (my vitamin D. level was < 2 where a "safe lower limit" is 30 and many people now recommend a level of 50 and even 60), I took 5,000 IU/day for 3 months and got the level up to 40. I then stopped taking it as it was summer; I spent every day outside from dawn to dusk. After 3 months my level was... 35. The doc confirmed that this happens with many people, and I would ideally keep taking it for the rest of my life.

MossRose;1572712 wrote: Softy - SAD is very real. As the others have said - Vit D is a good place to start. I'll be curious how the lights work for you.

Light is the second part of the equation, but it's less known how exactly that works. I have read anecdotal reports of people who already took vit D and had their levels well up, went to a sunny country for a holiday, and even when they didn't really enjoy it because of the pain they had, they felt much better and in higher spirits. I'm pretty sure it does play a big part, I just don't know if a device can have the same effect.

Anyway, to Softy: it's a quick fix, it's cheap, 25,000 IU/week can be taken without any risk. (but again: I'm not a doctor!).

[Softy]

SAD / Winter depression

Thanks all. Got the light box today and had half an hour after my tea. Cant use it too close to bedtime apparently. I won't have time during the day so it will have to be early evening or nothing. Says it will take Three or four days to notice a difference. We shall see. Interesting point about depression being a result of coming off booze. It really is catch 22 as they say drinking makes you depressed. So if stopping the drink makes you depressed. Well let's face it, you are going to be depressed whether you like it or not! It does hit me hard in winter drink (or as I have found out this month) with no drink. I don't know if it's SAD but a light on 30 minutes a day is worth a try:h

[gettinitright]

SAD / Winter depression

Softy, AL does make you depressed, but we numb that depression with the AL. When coming off it, we have to FEEL our feelings. So, its emotionally painful to sober up. But, once you work through what you were numbing, you can be happy. However, if you have SAD you will need a boost. I think the light and some vitamins may be just what you need. Well worth the try.

[Softy]

SAD / Winter depression

The light therapy is not working sorry to say. I have been feeling trapped and desperately unhappy / lonely for a week now. Not speaking much to the wife about it or anyone in work because i don't want to burden them with more problems, they have their own. Thought of handing my notice in today just to escape. Also thought of crashing the car. A couple of weeks in hospital tucked up in bed would suit me fine. I thought that it was the drink that did this to me. Two months off not made any difference to the winter depression. My dad was bipolar. I fear the same. But I can't tell people as they think I make it up just to be like my dad. I wish he was still alive. He was the only one who understood.

[JackieClaire]

SAD / Winter depression

Aww Softy, hun, let's give you one of these before I start me waffle...:l and a huge :goodjob: on 61 days AF,

Now then as a fully qualified alcoholic and someone who has lived with depression for a lot of years ( I take a small dose of fluoxetine every day) this sounds a lot worse than a case of the WTFs and the Blahs.

Can I suggest a trip to your GP and get your name down for some counselling as quick as you can. I know with it being the NHS it may be a waiting list but it'll be worth the wait.

Have a look round your area to see if there's any drug and alcohol services that may offer services like counselling, massage, CBT etc.

Try and look outside of work and home at something voluntary.........doesn't have to be with addicts ....have a look at this link.

Do-it - Volunteering made easy

Stopping drinking is the first part of the journey and some days we just have to put one foot in front of the other........now it's time to start living sober.....and it can be done.