SAD see-saw – the ups and downs of managing SAD

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Neens

Good evening! When I started this blog, I was very clear that I wanted it to be not only a place where people could come for information, but also to get a more personal perspective on managing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues symptoms. I want you to know that you’re not alone in feeling the way you do.

I’ve shared a little bit with you already of how I used to feel before I was diagnosed with SAD. I’ve also told you that in general I have my symptoms pretty well managed now. What I’ve not done so far is tell you what it’s like when I’m not managing my symptoms very well! There’s a reason for this; I don’t want to be too self-indulgent and I don’t want you to get pulled down while you’re reading. I’m by nature quite an empathetic person, easily affected by other people’s emotions, so in recognition that other people are like this too, I’m trying to be careful on this blog to keep things reasonably upbeat.

That said, I don’t want to give the false impression that I’m always okay (no-one ever really is, I find!). I’ve had a funny old few weeks; I feel like I’ve been on a see-saw! Besides having a few things on my mind, I’ve realised that I haven’t been managing my symptoms very well. My poor brain can’t seem to work out whether I should be bouncing around like Tigger, or curled up on the sofa with my book and a hot chocolate!

Part of the reason is that I don’t think I should have to be managing SAD symptoms in June and July – I can’t get my head around it! I normally jolly myself along in January and February, thinking about spring being ‘just around the corner’ and trying to plan nice things to look forward to. Problem is, with confirmation that the UK has just experienced the wettest April to June on record and double the average rainfall for June, I’m struggling to find that kernel of hope that there’s going to be a longer run of sunny days.

wpid IMAG0317 300x226 SAD see saw the ups and downs of managing SAD

My view from the bus a moment before I had to get off!

I’ve had just about all the weather I can handle in the last two weeks! After finding my walk in the pouring rain quite funny the other Sunday, I can assure you that being out in the storm up here in Newcastle and Gateshead last Thursday was really not funny. I was very lucky compared to many of my friends and colleagues.

wpid IMAG0319 300x226 SAD see saw the ups and downs of managing SAD

Driving along a main road through Dunston, Gateshead, which had become a river!

I got a soaking going to an appointment and was then stuck on a packed bus for 2.5 hours – but I was safe and sheltered! I did, however, feel really anxious, which I’m pretty sure was heightened because I was already feeling fed up with the rain. It took me ages to calm down.

A bit of sunshine at the weekend while visiting my family in Leeds had me feeling hyper again, with my Mum laughing at me talking ten-to-the-dozen, hardly pausing for breath!

Then - argh! - I felt so flat early this week. I awoke Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday mornings to grubby grey weather and felt thoroughly fed up!

So, given that I’ve had some things on my mind, how do I know that I’m suffering with SAD symptoms? Well, yesterday and today have been the perfect indicators. After waking for the third day in a row feeling miserable, I used my SAD light in the office yesterday and felt almost instantly better. A good laugh with my lovely colleagues helped plenty too! Today, I sat out in the sunshine (yes, really, there was some!) for an hour at lunch and felt great. Nothing has changed in terms of what’s on my mind, but the bright light gave me a very perceptable lift.

The silly thing is, I know that I need to use my light on dull days, but perhaps I’m more of an optimist than I give myself credit for! I kept thinking that it might be brighter on the way home, or the next day.

A day or two of dull weather in summer isn’t normally an issue, but a run of several days or weeks can very easily leave you feeling as bad as you do in winter, if you’re a Winter SAD or Winter Blues sufferer. Once you’re feeling bad, it can be harder to lift yourself back up, so please – don’t make the same mistake I’ve made this last couple of weeks – get your SAD light back out of the cupboard!

If you’re supporting friends, family or colleagues who suffer from SAD, please try and be patient with them; what can seem like baffling mood swings really can be a result of what the weather’s doing!

One last thing; I thought I’d let you know that Lumie has a sale on at the moment. If you’ve been thinking about buying a SAD light for a while, now might be a good time to invest in one!

How are you managing with the summer rain? Can you relate to my see-saw analogy? Does anyone fancy emigrating with me to the Canary Islands?!

Image credit – children playing – http://www.sxc.hu/photo/884206

March Mania – Hypomania and Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Neens

Yippee, Happy March! In the official Neens’ book, 1 March is the start of spring and a real milestone – it’s still light when I leave work around 5.30pm. I hope that the increase in daylight hours is starting to ease your Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD – and Winter Blues symptoms, too.

I met for a catch up with one of my friends the other night and he commented that I was especially chipper. Translation: I was being a motor-mouth! Anyone who has ever met me will know that I’m a real chatterbox generally; honestly, I am that person who’s chatting away to a complete stranger at a bus stop, on the train, in the gym…

But this week, we’ve had some fab sunny weather and I have been bouncing-off-the-walls, hyper! You’d think I’d had several cups of strong coffee on some of the days.

I think most people would say they feel a sense of wellbeing when the sun shines. But if you’re suddenly feeling a marked surge of energy, and you know that you suffer from SAD, then you might be experiencing what’s known as Hypomania. I’m sure I get this; I’m like a little kid at Christmas listening for Santa, except that I’m running to the window to see how sunny it is and longing to be out in it!

At this time of year I’m easily excitable, full of plans and ready to take on the world. That is, when the sun’s shining.

This morning, I woke up to really misty, murky weather and I felt flat. It brightened up in the afternoon, and having used my light lamp, I was back to being Tigger! I appreciate that to a non-sufferer, this might seem completely bizarre. It’s a weird time of the year when you suffer from SAD.

I was reminded of something else, talking to my friend the other night. Now is not the time to make big decisions. Yep, you might feel like you can take on the world, but if you’re experiencing these swings that I’ve described, it’s worth waiting until they’ve settled down a bit before taking action.

I’m speaking from experience. I’ve made big decisions in the past around this time of year that I wish I’d not made, or given a bit more thought to. That burst of energy can bring about a bit of the no-nonsense, ‘let’s get on with it’, ‘I’m taking no prisoners’ kinda attitude. Sound familiar?

Making plans is great – it’s an ideal time for that, if you’re feeling fired up and motivated. Why not grab your pen and paper and jot down some thoughts on what you want to do for the rest of the year? I’ve always thought January is a rubbish time of year to make resolutions and plans, anyway – so much better to do it once you’re feeling energised and ready to put them into action.

But if your thoughts are on life-changing decisions, such as quitting your job, ending a relationship, moving, etc., then maybe just hold fire on making a final decision until you’re feeling less gung-ho.

Does anything I’ve said ring true for you? Or do you disagree? Do you think that you experience Hypomania?

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

- Neens –

Image credits:
Chatter Teeth: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/424094
To-Do: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1151807

SAD and Winter Blues – Where to start?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Neens

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and its milder form, Winter Blues (also known sometimes as Winter Depression, or medically as Sub-syndromal SAD) affects nearly a quarter of the UK population. Does that surprise you? It did me, when I read this on the SAD Association’s website! So even if you don’t suffer from one of these conditions yourself, it’s likely that someone close to you does.

I almost don’t know where to start! In writing anything, I tend to find it helpful to answer the 5 Ws and 1 H – What, Who, Why, Where, When, How? The thing is, this could turn into a very looong post, so I’m going to share some basics here, then I’ll go into more detail in separate posts to come.

One of my favourite ways to describe SAD is through these little fellas; Tigger and Eeyore. I tried out this analogy on a friend today and he loved it!

During the late autumn and winter months, the shorter days and lack of sunlight can make you feel miserable, irritable and very lethargic – a bit like Eeyore. But in the summer and even in the depths of winter, a sunny day can bring out the Tigger in you! Some people even experience mania-type symptoms once spring comes round, known as Hypomania. That’s probably where everyone’s energy comes from for the big spring-clean! For a bit of fun, I found this quiz to identify which Winnie the Pooh character you’re most like - I turned out to be Kanga! Which one are you?

SAD is a type of depression. I know some people aren’t comfortable with this description, but medically, they do sit on the same scale. What differentiates SAD from other types of depression is that it has a very definite seasonal pattern; the symptoms recur each winter. You normally will have experienced symptoms in the winter that disappear in summer for three consecutive years before you would be diagnosed with SAD.

And what are the symptoms of SAD? Well, I mentioned three of the main ones already, but a few of the most common others include:

Disturbed sleep patterns (sleeping more or less and/or waking frequently)
Loss of interest in things you normally enjoy
Craving carbohydrates and sweet foods (comfort food!)

My food shopping basket in winter would make you laugh! Image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1100035

There isn’t a ‘cure’ for SAD or Winter Blues. But most people can successfully manage their symptoms using light therapy. The SAD Association estimates that this will work for around 85% of sufferers.

You’d normally use light therapy daily from the onset of your symptoms, often around Oct/Nov until Mar/Apr when the daylight hours lengthen. The treatment involves exposure to a bright SAD light that simulates the level of light you would get on a bright spring day. How long you need to use the light for depends on the severity of your symptoms and the strength of the light.

I whole-heartedly recommend SAD light therapy – I have managed my symptoms for eight years using a SAD light lamp and a dawn simulator, which wakes me gently with light in the morning. I recommend dawn simulators to everyone, regardless of whether they suffer from SAD - they’re such a lovely way to wake up!

I will write some more in-depth posts, but if you want more information on SAD and Winter Blues before then, please have a look at this NHS page. *Update: I’ve done a couple of these posts now - you should find links at the bottom of this page!

What Winnie the Pooh character do you identify with? Is there something in particular that you’d like me to cover in a future post?

See you soon!

The Light Room

Information, advice and a personal perspective on managing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues

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SAD see-saw – the ups and downs of managing SAD

March Mania – Hypomania and Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD

SAD and Winter Blues – Where to start?

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