Struggling with life issues!

Post Reply New Topic

I am finding things really really difficult at the moment! I feel like I haven't got any time to waste at the moment. I am finding school work hard to keep up with fir the first time ever. I'm doing five highers this year and its work piled onto work, piled onto more work. Non of this is working well with my ADD and I'm really getting frustrated with myself. I can't cope with constant homework, it's so much that I barely find time to sit and relax.
Then I have the onset of SAD beginning which makes my normal depression which I already have meds for a lot worse. I feel down throughout all the dark hours of the day. I am always grumpy and extremely tired, so tired I struggle to stay awake in morning classes! And even when I do have spare time because of my SAD I don't have the energy to do anything.
The hardest bit for me is what SAD does to my special interests. I am so confused at the moment because I thought my interest had changed back onto a former interest only to find I'm not hugely involved in that one or the interest I had before. The two interests are almost battling over dominance in me, neither one taking priority and importance. It's really hard as I don't know where to invest my time in order to get a break from my SAD!
It's a constant circle of this and I need help, please guys!

What kinda help do you need?

OP, are you seeing a therapist or pdoc?

You might look into Full Spectrum light bulbs. They make them in all the standard sizes to fit in lamps, ceiling lights etc. I really don't know how effective they are, but the theory is that being more like natural sunlight it can reduce the severity of SAD. Perhaps there is more research now done on whether they work or not. I last looked into it in 1996 prior being stationed in Iceland.

Rather then the more intensive interests it is good sometimes to give those a break and use more relaxed/passive pastimes. One example would be just to watch movies or TV shows. I tend to catch up on the latest in a favorite genre when I do this, like Sci-fi or War movies, etc. You want something that interests you but is not taxing. In your case it would be something to more or less zone out with after your schoolwork is done, and give the brain a break.

I used to think SAD was a load of horsedoings, until I got it...

I had lived in a hot sunny climate for six months, then came to the UK in November - dark, wet, and miserable. I don't think my body dealt with this change at all well. I like the sun, like most people. The warning signs were there - years ago, I struggled to adjust to nightshift work.

I just felt so...well, it's hard to describe. It's like my body was depressed! But it wasn't a depression, more like...och, I'm not going to recreate the feeling so I can describe it more.

I got a natural light lamp, and it gets me through November-February. I was incredibly sceptical to start with. After three days of having it, I felt the change. And, I assure you, it wasn't psychosomatic. Also, tanning salons help too.

It's really worth a try. You can get something good, which doesn't cost mega bucks. I have a big lamp on my bedside table (which takes it over!), so I know I can get a hit of it every morning and every evening if I need it.