S.A.D

[Wildswimmer Pete]

The past several years have seen increasingly cloudy summers with most days not seeing any sunlight throughout conventional waking hours (8am - 8pm).  My own experience is that I'm currently presenting with the symptoms of SAD during what we laughingly describe as "high summer".  Anecdotal evidence in my area proves that many are suffering depression put down to our succession of almost sunless summer days, but their illness hasn't been formally diagnosed as SAD (mine has).

Thoughts?

[lassie23]

I thought it was caused by a lack of day light, with symptoms developing from autumn through to winter?

[Wildswimmer Pete]

It is, in normal years.  However under the current persistently cloudy conditions ambient daylight is dim enough to trigger the hormone-driven SAD response in susceptible individuals.  Most days I need my living room lights on most of the day, which is a nonsense in summer.  Likewise the daylight we receive at the moment isn't enough to properly charge my solar garden lights.

[Methuselah]

42 minutes ago, Wildswimmer Pete said:

The past several years have seen increasingly cloudy summers with most days not seeing any sunlight throughout conventional waking hours (8am - 8pm).  My own experience is that I'm currently presenting with the symptoms of SAD during what we laughingly describe as "high summer".  Anecdotal evidence in my area proves that many are suffering depression put down to our succession of almost sunless summer days, but their illness hasn't been formally diagnosed as SAD (mine has).

Thoughts?

You could try one of these, Pete: https://www.google.co.uk/?ion=1&espv=2#q=sad+light+boxes+reviews&safe=strict&tbm=shop 

[Wildswimmer Pete]

3 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

You could try one of these, Pete: https://www.google.co.uk/?ion=1&espv=2#q=sad+light+boxes+reviews&safe=strict&tbm=shop 

I've got one, sadly looks like I'll have to unpack it.

[interested & confused]

I'm a sad, light on all day person:( The last few weeks have been ok here, in the SE, but June was a particularly difficult month for me. You just don't expect to feel like that at the mid-point of the year.

Working outside on my allotment helps me cope, but when it is really cloudy it is depressing. Last Winter we rarely had any cold but sunny days, to cheer everyone up, just grey bleugh which apart from a few weeks (during May IIRC)  just continued through Spring.

[lassie23]

11 minutes ago, interested & confused said:

I'm a sad, light on all day person:( The last few weeks have been ok here, in the SE, but June was a particularly difficult month for me. You just don't expect to feel like that at the mid-point of the year.

Working outside on my allotment helps me cope, but when it is really cloudy it is depressing. Last Winter we rarely had any cold but sunny days, to cheer everyone up, just grey bleugh which apart from a few weeks (during May IIRC)  just continued through Spring.

Do light boxes help?

[stainesbloke]

I've certainly been suffering S.A.D.-like symptoms in recent summers, has been worse this summer with the endless grey skies. Last week lifted my spirits no end, more of that please!

[interested & confused]

I use a Sunrise System Alarm Clock, but still get SAD  sometimes during my 'dark days' when it's hard to tell myself to actually get on and do something rather than just mope about all day *sigh*

[lassie23]

1 minute ago, interested & confused said:

I use a Sunrise System Alarm Clock, but still get SAD  sometimes during my 'dark days' when it's hard to tell myself to actually get on and do something rather than just mope about all day *sigh*

How do doctors treat it?

[Wildswimmer Pete]

26 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

How do doctors treat it?

Anti-depressants and hospital outpatient treatment with powerful "daylight" lamps.  St.John's Wort is an herbal remedy but it must NOT be used in conjunction with other anti-depressants which could result in the potentially fatal serotonin syndrome.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Wildswimmer Pete

[interested & confused]

Yes, apart from the light treatment, mine likes the idea of drugs, I don't........

[Wildswimmer Pete]

3 minutes ago, interested & confused said:

Yes, apart from the light treatment, mine likes the idea of drugs, I don't........

St. John's Wort

[lassie23]

1 minute ago, interested & confused said:

Yes, apart from the light treatment, mine likes the idea of drugs, I don't........

Have you tried St Johns Wort? You must dread the clock change in October.

[Methuselah]

17 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

Have you tried St Johns Wort? You must dread the clock change in October.

I've never tried St John's Wort - but I do dread the October clock-change...But I did see some strange fungi that might have made Jordan happy??

But, whatever, the clocks' going back in October is a bloody nightmare!

[Dangerous55019]

First things first... I haven't come on here to troll people about the clock change thingy... Personally I love it, but I know a lot of people dread it... And if you are one of those people who dread it, then hey, you have my sympathy, and I respect your decision and views. 
Now that's the disclaimer out of the way... By the way, if I ramble on a bit, then please bear with me... I'll get to the point eventually.
... Right... I have to be honest here, whilst I do love autumn, and I personally find the time around the clock change/halloween a particularly magical time of the year, but hey that's me... What I do dread is once we get to through to November/December/January/early February, are those days upon days, upon days, upon  days of endless grey gloom. Now I've said before (think it was in the autumn thread) 'if its got to be grey, then let it be foggy, as at least the fog is atmospheric'... Again I know that many will disagree with me.

To me personally, as someone who works outside, the thing with the endless grey gloom is that there is very little UV light getting through... As a glasses wearer (and my glasses are those reactolite ones) very rarely this summer have they gone dark, or even attempted to go dark, so this says to me that there is a distinct lack of UV light reaching me personally. In fact I'm feeling pretty much the same now as I did back in the depths of winter 15/16... Fed Up!! ... Last winter I found myself really looking forward to this summer because I (wrongly) thought that with the sun high enough in the sky, and it would soon burn through the grey crud... And as winter turned to spring, the amount of grey days decreased, and I did feel better... And then summer 2016 arrived... Oh dear

So to me personally I'm saying this feeling is caused by a lack of UV light and vitamin D... Has anyone thought of trying Vitamin D tablets from the chemist? As I may well give that a go myself, to see if it helps, just until the endless grey gloom finally lifts.

(Needles to say that the Vitamin D thought has just struck me whilst I was typing!!) 

[hillbilly]

Sad stands foe Seasonal adjuster disorder,it can affect people in different ways.For me winters are too long especially here in the pennines but at least that is what is expected.What is more depressing for me is to go through a long winter to be given a poor summer and even more depressing than that is a series of poor summers.Amazing how a bit of sunshine perks you up ,even on a cold frosty day in winter the sunshine can be so uplifting.Maybe we were spoilt in the 70's,80's and 90's and up to 2006.I will just have to book a midwinter and summer break to the Med if I can think of anywhere I wont get shot,blown up or my head lobbed off !

[Bolt from the Blue]

I tend to feel down in the winter months when it just seems like endless wind & rain, coupled with short daylight hours and not very much exposure to the sun. Most of my hobbies are outdoor activities which rely on settled weather, so I need a few good days inbetween to stay positive.

[lassie23]

3 hours ago, Dangerous55019 said:

First things first... I haven't come on here to troll people about the clock change thingy... Personally I love it, but I know a lot of people dread it... And if you are one of those people who dread it, then hey, you have my sympathy, and I respect your decision and views. 
Now that's the disclaimer out of the way... By the way, if I ramble on a bit, then please bear with me... I'll get to the point eventually.
... Right... I have to be honest here, whilst I do love autumn, and I personally find the time around the clock change/halloween a particularly magical time of the year, but hey that's me... What I do dread is once we get to through to November/December/January/early February, are those days upon days, upon days, upon  days of endless grey gloom. Now I've said before (think it was in the autumn thread) 'if its got to be grey, then let it be foggy, as at least the fog is atmospheric'... Again I know that many will disagree with me.

To me personally, as someone who works outside, the thing with the endless grey gloom is that there is very little UV light getting through... As a glasses wearer (and my glasses are those reactolite ones) very rarely this summer have they gone dark, or even attempted to go dark, so this says to me that there is a distinct lack of UV light reaching me personally. In fact I'm feeling pretty much the same now as I did back in the depths of winter 15/16... Fed Up!! ... Last winter I found myself really looking forward to this summer because I (wrongly) thought that with the sun high enough in the sky, and it would soon burn through the grey crud... And as winter turned to spring, the amount of grey days decreased, and I did feel better... And then summer 2016 arrived... Oh dear

So to me personally I'm saying this feeling is caused by a lack of UV light and vitamin D... Has anyone thought of trying Vitamin D tablets from the chemist? As I may well give that a go myself, to see if it helps, just until the endless grey gloom finally lifts.

(Needles to say that the Vitamin D thought has just struck me whilst I was typing!!) 

Everyone should take vitamin D tablets in the winter according to doctors.

[Azazel]

SAD is in full effect for me, though last week did offer some relief which was lovely. Unfortunately, since the "lighter months" began in late March, its been awfully grey and crap down this way and I just haven't felt great all summer.

 

I absolutely loathe the clock change in October, even though i do enjoy Autumn/Winter in some regards (cold and snowy, cold and bright, fog and bonfires etc) but i am fearing the endless atlantic-driven wind and rain that will most likely persist from October until July next year:(

I don't really know what the solution is. I've had a few rounds on different anti-depressants (St. Jons Wort, Citalopram and Prozac) and they're just not for me.

 

The saddest day of the year for me when I usually feel most "downbeat" is June 21st when we stop gaining daylight and begin the long plunge back towards darkness. Conversely I feel my spirits lift on December 21st:)

[Dangerous55019]

18 hours ago, lassie23 said:

Everyone should take vitamin D tablets in the winter according to doctors.

Evening Lassie23 
That's very true, although I'll admit that I don't normally take vitamin D tablets, mainly due to the fact that I'm out doors nearly all day with my job, I had to resort to them last winter... It was just so dull, and grey... And weirdly enough I was starting to consider taking them again only yesterday for exactly the same reason... Just dull, grey, no UV light. 
But after another dull wet start to the day, the sun has finally made a rare appearance!! And I have to admit that I do currently feel much better and brighter in myself 
So I'm holding off taking any vitamin D tablets... For now. 

7 hours ago, Azazel said:

SAD is in full effect for me, though last week did offer some relief which was lovely. Unfortunately, since the "lighter months" began in late March, its been awfully grey and crap down this way and I just haven't felt great all summer.

 

I absolutely loathe the clock change in October, even though i do enjoy Autumn/Winter in some regards (cold and snowy, cold and bright, fog and bonfires etc) but i am fearing the endless atlantic-driven wind and rain that will most likely persist from October until July next year:(

I don't really know what the solution is. I've had a few rounds on different anti-depressants (St. Jons Wort, Citalopram and Prozac) and they're just not for me.

 

The saddest day of the year for me when I usually feel most "downbeat" is June 21st when we stop gaining daylight and begin the long plunge back towards darkness. Conversely I feel my spirits lift on December 21st:)

Evening Azazel 
I'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling like that, but I can fully sympathize with how you're feeling, as the 'lighter months' this year have been a total let down for me as well... As I've said above, only yesterday I was starting to feel as I was in the depths of last winter... A bit down... Which is not normal for this time of year, so goodness knows how you're feeling... And I really hope you start to feel, at the very least, a bit brighter soon  
Likewise I fully understand your fear of another goodness knows how many more months of this Atlantic driven rubbish that hopefully we won't have to endure... That thought has often crossed my mind and fills me with dread also. 

Personally I'm quite an odd ball regarding the solstices... As much as I look forward to the clocks going back and the halloween time of year, once we get towards the end of November, I just find myself craving that bit of extra light, and I can't wait for the winter solstice to happen so it can start getting lighter... Likewise by the time we get to May I find myself wising the summer solstice would hurry up, and be over with so we can start loosing light... As I said, yes I know I'm an odd ball. Lol  ... But I do understand how you feel on these dates.

But seriously, here's hoping that this coming autumn/winter will be a much sunnier one for all concerned, as if the 'darker period' of the year has a reasonable amount of sunshine, then hopefully people will be out more, and hopefully lessen the awful effects of SAD. 

But just remember, you're not alone, and talking about these things, is always a good thing 

[lassie23]

1 minute ago, Dangerous55019 said:

Evening Lassie23 
That's very true, although I'll admit that I don't normally take vitamin D tablets, mainly due to the fact that I'm out doors nearly all day with my job, I had to resort to them last winter... It was just so dull, and grey... And weirdly enough I was starting to consider taking them again only yesterday for exactly the same reason... Just dull, grey, no UV light. 
But after another dull wet start to the day, the sun has finally made a rare appearance!! And I have to admit that I do currently feel much better and brighter in myself 
So I'm holding off taking any vitamin D tablets... For now. 

Evening Azazel 
I'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling like that, but I can fully sympathize with how you're feeling, as the 'lighter months' this year have been a total let down for me as well... As I've said above, only yesterday I was starting to feel as I was in the depths of last winter... A bit down... Which is not normal for this time of year, so goodness knows how you're feeling... And I really hope you start to feel, at the very least, a bit brighter soon  
Likewise I fully understand your fear of another goodness knows how many more months of this Atlantic driven rubbish that hopefully we won't have to endure... That thought has often crossed my mind and fills me with dread also. 

Personally I'm quite an odd ball regarding the solstices... As much as I look forward to the clocks going back and the halloween time of year, once we get towards the end of November, I just find myself craving that bit of extra light, and I can't wait for the winter solstice to happen so it can start getting lighter... Likewise by the time we get to May I find myself wising the summer solstice would hurry up, and be over with so we can start loosing light... As I said, yes I know I'm an odd ball. Lol  ... But I do understand how you feel on these dates.

But seriously, here's hoping that this coming autumn/winter will be a much sunnier one for all concerned, as if the 'darker period' of the year has a reasonable amount of sunshine, then hopefully people will be out more, and hopefully lessen the awful effects of SAD. 

But just remember, you're not alone, and talking about these things, is always a good thing 

My blood test just came back as low in vitamin dI got sun burnt too

[Dangerous55019]

4 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

My blood test just came back as low in vitamin dI got sun burnt too

WHAT??? Lol 
Seriously, as much as I'd never encourage anyone to take tablets of any sort, if I were you, go and consult with your Doctor, and then based up on where he/she says, then I'd seriously consider heading off to the chemists and getting some vitamin D tablets 

Edited July 27, 2016 by Dangerous55019

[lassie23]

9 minutes ago, Dangerous55019 said:

WHAT??? Lol 
Seriously, as much as I'd never encourage anyone to take tablets of any sort, if I were you, go and consult with your Doctor, and then based up on where he/she says, then I'd seriously consider heading off to the chemists and getting some vitamin D tablets 

There is a prescription waiting for me to pick up lol

[Dangerous55019]

2 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

There is a prescription waiting for me to pick up lol

Hopefully you'll start to notice the benefits very soon then