Hi Everyone!

I was diagnosed with sad about 8-10 years ago, but I suspect I've had it for much longer.

I have found that, for me, I seem to feel better when I work out regularly and eat a low carb diet. I'll get in whatever exercise I can.

For some reason, I crave sugar and carbs as early as Sept. I also want to do nothing but sleep and not be bothered. But that's not an option. It also helps to be out amoung other people, at the gym or school. A hinderance is not having a big circle of friends. For some reason, they just don't see that SAD is a real issue. I can be a bit...um moody towards the middle of Sept as symptoms set in, but once I change up my daily habits I'm fine. It only takes about 2-3 weeks to see the changes. Unfortunately, I stupidly confided in them (I thought they'd understand) and quickly realized they were never truely my friends. 3FC's is truely a haven as we are all in this boat together....with whatever baggage we have.

It's funny though, I love the Fall and Winter. The cool brisk air, baking up something in the oven and not feeling guilty for staying indoors reading watching movies or these days lol...doing homework!

Jenn

Hello Mollymom,
I am also Canadian and I do love fall and winter. It is important that being diagnosed with SAD is different then merely having the "winter blahs". I can get the winter blahs end of January early February, (typically when the holidays are over and you go to work and come home from work while it's dark and never see the sunlight). To deal with the blahs I find getting out for winter walks during my off time helps...so long as I have all my winter gear on. Then I can really appreciate the crisp freshness of the winter. As weird as it is I also wear sunscreen...1st of all APPARENTLY the sun reflecting off the white snow is either just as bad or worse than the summer sun (don't quote me on that, I remember hearing it somewhere). But the smell reminds me of the beach which helps me wake up.
Lots of people who have been diagnosed with SAD use lights which a lot of people have already mentioned, but also exercise seems to help people with SAD feel more motivated and less tired. Also talking to your doctor can help because sometimes certain medications have been shown to help with being tired all the time.

I actually find I get super depressed in spring and summer. I love cold and cloudy weather.

I also suffer from SAD. It got so bad last December that I ended up in the hospital. I'm already starting to worry about what this winter will do to me. I'm going to look into the SAD lights...thanks everyone for the info. Mollymom- just know you're not alone.

Pheonix-What about taking a trip to a sunny destination after the holidays? My parents and older sister moved to FL a few years back and I visit over the Christmas holiday and it makes a BIG difference for me!

mollymom, same here! If I didn't have a fulltime job, it would be SO hard for me to get up regularly once the cold and short days are here. I just live for late spring/summer/fall; and dread winter. So, why am I living in Vermont, right, LOL.

I can only hope that being on a different med will help me this year; also, with following a modified South Beach diet, I'm hoping the very low carb eating will help me also. Along with almost-daily exercise.

I've read of the light boxes being very helpful. And I do have one of those alarm clocks that gradually start to brighten the room; and mine also has nature sounds; I choose the 'crickets' to fall asleep to, and 'birdsong' to wake. It's nice

The waking up light is at verilux.com (sorry I can't post links yet) under Sleep & Waking Aids. It seems expensive but is worth getting. If I use the sound, I wake up right away, but the gradual light makes waking up smooth & gentle . Some of the sound effects are kind of odd, like the "town" with the clip-clop of horses. It also has radio. At night, you can set it to gradually get dark while you are reading so you can go to sleep.

I also just got a "natural light" light bulb from Verilux for my desklamp at work. We have fluorescent overheads & minimal natural light. When I remember to turn the desklamp on, it is nice.

I have SAD. I really crave potato chips in the fall and winter. Any weight I lose between April and September gets gained back between October and March. My Happy Lamp helps, but I'm not very consistent with it.

Hi Skinnycow

well, I guess this is my checking in, because I see my last post above was late October. How did I fare? Not as bad as the year before, but I still gained 10 - 12 pounds from late October to January, even with using my Happy Light, and being on the better-for-me Wellbutrin. And still hated Christmas this year I only started feeling like myself again, and renewed energy and hope to eat better and exercise, in late February.

I have lost the winter weight I gained.

This fall, I need to make an appt with my doctor, and ask for something MORE to help. Isn't there a drug that's supposed to enhance antidepressants? yeah, Abilify. I will ask if maybe that will help. Because right now, I am loving spring/early summer, I am working out almost every day, I am watching what I eat, I'm looking forward to our summer of motorcycling...but I feel that dread lurking in the dark months way ahead.