Winter depression

Luvntzus

If people think that regular tanning (in the sun or tanning bed) doesn't have a major effect on their skin, they are just kidding themselves.

Very true.  That said I've never heard of anyone tanning 7 minutes once a week for 5 months wearing sunscreen actually getting skin cancer from that.  My grandma has suffered from skin cancer for decades and it is due to poor choices she made when she was younger.  Tanning for a few minutes is not inherently any more dangerous than say standing outside watching your dogs play.  If you want to avoid skin cancer, just be smart in general.  Wear sunscreen and don't overdo it.

ISG, tanning and light therapy for SAD having nothing to do with getting tan.  The only people I know that tan to get tan aren't doing it to treat SAD.  You want to be safe and wear sunscreen just like you would if you were working in your yard for an hour.  

Sorry if this was mentioned already I didn't read all the posts.  But, a friend of mine suffers with SAD and she has a light box.  I know they make all different types and sizes and the harmful UV is blocked.  It works well for her.  She just keeps it right in her office and works with it on.

Liesje

 

Doesn't work, honestly.  If only it were that easy... I know you don't mean anything by it but posts like these seriously have me in tears.

OK.  Sorry.  I guess I didn't realize how serious a condition this is.  It seems to be a lot more than just being a bit bummed because the sun hasn't been out for a few days.  Is it related in some way to depression?  If so, aren't there any meds that would help it? If it's strictly seasonal, the meds would only have to be used for a few months.

Joyce

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Liesje

 

Doesn't work, honestly.  If only it were that easy... I know you don't mean anything by it but posts like these seriously have me in tears.

OK.  Sorry.  I guess I didn't realize how serious a condition this is.  It seems to be a lot more than just being a bit bummed because the sun hasn't been out for a few days.  Is it related in some way to depression?  If so, aren't there any meds that would help it? If it's strictly seasonal, the meds would only have to be used for a few months.

Joyce

Yes there are meds, but most people try other things like light boxes and tanning first because it's cheaper for one, and not something that takes time.  It could take years to find the *right* med and like others have said, anti-depressants are not easy to go on/off every few months.  Light boxes are really great but very expensive.  The cheaper ones aren't as good and require you to sit much closer for it to be effective.

What has helped me is tanning (which lately I have only needed to do maybe once a month), if there is still light when I get home from work I force myself to do something outside like raking even if there's only 20 more minutes of light (and by light I mean the sun is already down but it's not pitch black yet), doing trips every few weeks even if it's just to Chicago for a weekend, I go to the Gulf coast with my parents for a week in April (in west Michigan it will easily snow through April and be really nasty, the worst months for me are actually February-May), and you know sometimes I just have to call in "sick" and do a me-day where I can get OUT.  Sounds dumb but just half a day of driving around shopping, not even buying anything, sometimes helps me.  I never had a problem until I finished college and started working full time.  It's because I have to leave before sun rise and I get home in the dark, my office is in a basement and if I don't go out for lunch I may never see sun for days.  Well in west Michigan often there isn't sun for days anyway.  Yesterday and today were nice, the sun came out so both days I had the dogs out in a field off lead despite there being this bitter wind.  I try to keep myself busy indoors as well. 

I do not have very severe SAD at all, but I feel for those who do.  I have maybe 3-4 days each season where I just can't do it, feel hopeless and I can't get out of bed and go to work.  I can't imagine being like that every day. 

Winter depression, SAD, holiday blues... whatever name any given person wants to call it is a lot more common than people realize. You know that person that always seems to lose touch with their friends during the winter/holidays... the friend that every year seems to have a meltdown right before Christmas... Its not always 'holiday stress'

For some, the holidays actually make it worse, it took me a long time to figure out why. For me, its because thats supposed to be such a happy, happy, joy, joy time. How much worse is it to realize here you're supposed to be happy and whatnot and all you want to do is pull the shades, toss out the phone, lock the door and wait for February.

Medication doesn't work for everyone. Thats not always an option.

I have a deck that gets full sun from 11-3pm during the summer. It is completely unbearable to be on the deck mid summer in the worst heat of the day. It could be great in the front yard and killer hot on the deck. My kids want me to get an awning. I won't. I know that come winter, I'm still going to get full sun on the deck and that is something I need.