Seasonal Mood Disturbances/Disorder

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I get so sluggish this time of year, and my mood becomes somber. It is not so much depression, but it affects my energy levels and creativity. It is like someone wraps a wet towel around my head and my senses dull. Where I am at, it is fall with the days becoming progressively shorter and the sky is frequently overcast seemingly weeks at time. I attempt to keep up regular exercise and eat decently, but it doesn't do much to alleviate the symptoms.

Is this common with people here? Is there something that can be done, besides going to a physician for some med that probably won't work for me?

I actually will slip and out of a depression around this time of year but I also do that other times of the year; I just haven't noticed until my fiancee said something about it. I'm not sure if it is SAD or Bipolar though, but I'm going to schedule an appointment with my psychiatrist to figure it out.

Yeah, I have seasonal affective disorder. It affects me between November and March, though December to February are especially severe.
In the past I've just slogged through it, but this year I'm going to get a full-spectrum light, which are supposed to be really effective.
This is the Wikipedia article on light therapy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phototherapy#Light_boxes

Cool. My old physics professor used to say get a sun lamp. I can deal with the mood, but being lethargic eats at me. Anybody else got anything to help me avoid meds? Thanks.

If anyone can recommend anything other than meds, I'd appreciate it too. The light boxes no longer cost an absolute fortuen as they used to which is good. My psychologist reccomended going out on my bike every morning, however I don't think that makes me feel better because I just go outside on the country lanes, nearly get myself killed by cars because my mind is so fuzzy and end up coming home with severe chest pains then pass out... I would say the exercise thing might work for you though, but maybe not cycling

I'm usually affected November through April or so, with January through March being especially bad. What's weird is my dysthymia and social anxiety causes insomnia, but when the seasonal affective disorder kicks in and I just want to sleep all the time. It's not fun at all, and used to severely affect my school work. The light boxes do help, and I take a mile walk every morning.

never had a dx but starting in january and continuing through march, i feel fatigued, irritable, down on life in general. i don't know if that is a bona-fide biological thing or merely existential/philosophical.

I have what is called Reverse SAD. It means I am negatively influenced from mid-May to mid-September.

I tracked my moods for three years in order to get a diagnosis for it and have it taken seriously. I take antidepressants and it is much more bearable.

the hot season used to weigh on me until i got a/c.

I know this is going to sound weird, but I read that the majority of people with SAD have a hypersensitive sense of smell.. and the changes in the seasons smells have as much to do with it as the changes in the amount of sunlight.

I have found that aromatherapy does help me. Surrounding myself with candles and essential oils that smell like spring/summer. Like lavender oil for example.

For as long as I can remember, my mood has been significantly worse in winter. I was never diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I did have anti-depressants one year. It didn't really make a difference; I still felt exceptionally awful throughout the whole season. Moving South didn't help either, unfortunately.

maybe you could benefit from a prescription full-spectrum therapeutic light box.

The lamp works ok for me. But must be used in moderation

I have heard the following help and have tried them:

Tryptophan or 5HTP: found in cheese and some white meats like turkey. It apparently is a precursor to seretonin.
Eating nuts
The colour blue is apparently a pleasing colour
Cut out all processed food during the winter. No big macs and no microwave meals. They contain too much crap that the body does not want
Reduce alcohol intake during winter
St John's wart. A herbal remedy but should not be taken with meds

Another way of dealing with it is just to accept that you will have less energy in the winter. So reduce your activities.

Yeah I heard that too. Apparently an air filter that ionized helps too. I am using one of those and it does seem to help by making the room fresher. This year I may buy myself a few plants and arrange a nice little summer corner with my lamp and plants and air filter. Hopefully I'll be laughin!

I think I might have it too. I've noticed the past couple of years I've suffered from severe depression from November - March which has started kicking in again this year. I've noticed in particular my difference in mood between last week when it was permanently overcast and raining and this week, when it's been sunny most days.

I tried St John's Wort a couple of years ago but it gave me the most crazy dreams - anyone else experienced this while taking it?

St John's Wort made me go bonkers, completely hyperactive and experiencing not just weird dreams, but hallucinations when I was awake. That was before I was diagnosed schizo affective bipolar. In other words, it doesn't work for everyone.