SAD or what?

roran

Not sure if anyone else feels similar about not looking forward to Autumn/Winter drawing in....shortening of daylight hours and increased fuel bills for heat etc. Maybe it's because today is such a damp, wet dreary day that I'm wondering if this is early onset of SAD syndrome? :eek:

looksee

I don't really mind autumn and winter, there is a kind of cosy feel to it. Its nice to get a few bright days along the way, rather than constant grey, but its just another phase of the year, there is a different kind of beauty to it.

Jellybaby1

I think I've always suffered with SAD. Energy just drains from me from October onwards. Today its very dark, and raining all day and I can hardly move from the sofa but I have lots to do. Maybe there's a sunshine pill I could take for it!

Rubecula

I like the Autumn and Winter days. I know I am strange to many but I like every day Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I am grateful for each and every morning and happy to rest my head at the end.

There is a silver lining in every cloud. (It may be a Scud missile heading your way but.....) lol

BBDBB

Autumn is my favourite time of year, the changing colours, the briskly cold mornings and the late sunshine

I think SAD is fairly treatable with some light therapy, properly diagnosed and prescribed by your GP of course

lazeedaisy

OH suffers from SAD. For some reason it hits him always beginning of feb.

It's a tough time for both of us, and each day can seem so long.

Its hard knowing the winter can get to You like that, I love the autumn, but once Christmas comes, it's always a worry as to how we will make it to paddy's day.

This year, it's his final year in college, so I am hoping he is kept busy and we don't have as much rain as last January.

That said, we have a good GP, and can phone him if and when needed.

It is tough to understand unless you see it or go through it first hand, and if it hits bad, know that a bad day is never 24 hours, its only a fraction of it, and it will pass.

But to know to get help if needed,

Rubecula

This is in UK but it may be able to help SAD sufferers in Ireland. Or at least give advice.

http://www.sada.org.uk/

BrensBenz

BBDBB wrote: »

Autumn is my favourite time of year, the changing colours, the briskly cold mornings and the late sunshine

I think SAD is fairly treatable with some light therapy, properly diagnosed and prescribed by your GP of course

My favourite season too! Nature's Spring and Summer work is done and she settles down for a nice, long, cosy rest.

Fado, fado, I think I had SAD. My remedy, i.e. grabbing myself by the collar and giving myself a good shake, worked for me. However, and this might come as a surprise, I'm not medically qualified!

I DO confess to having a deep suspicion of conditions, syndromes, illnesses, etc. that didn't exist until the late twentieth century. I have no problem with the symptoms but I'm highly suspicious of the assumed causes, especially when those causes, discovered by some over-paid team of experts, are refuted within a month or so by another team of over-paid experts.

By the way, the self-administered shake by the collar has cured me of several other 20th century illnesses and, as a first resort, I strongly commend it to the house.

looksee

Brenz, yes I agree there does tend to be a name for every syndrome, but that does not make many of them any less real. The main one, depression, can be totally debilitating and grabbing yourself or someone else by the collar does not even begin to be a solution.

Yes, at the 'bored, fed up, in a rut' end of feeling depressed you can certainly do something for yourself, but feeling depressed and suffering from depression are not at all the same thing,and real depression is a very dark and helpless place to be.

BrensBenz

looksee wrote: »

Brenz, yes I agree there does tend to be a name for every syndrome, but that does not make many of them any less real. The main one, depression, can be totally debilitating and grabbing yourself or someone else by the collar does not even begin to be a solution.

Yes, at the 'bored, fed up, in a rut' end of feeling depressed you can certainly do something for yourself, but feeling depressed and suffering from depression are not at all the same thing,and real depression is a very dark and helpless place to be.

Fully agree............provided the diagnosis is from a medical professional and not from a questionnaire in "Hello" magazine or from one of the lads down the pub.

I have personal experience of depression and of the misery and the feeling of helplessness it brings to the victim and his / her family and friends. Fortunately, thanks to a good diagnosis, suitable medication, professional councelling and discipline on the part of the patient in abiding by the regimen, my buddy now has his condition firmly under control.

Actually, as my chemo becomes more and more unpleasant, he's quietly monitoring ME for depression! More than once, on being told horror stories of side-effects, he has told me to "give myself a slap - chemo is better than the alternative" and, you know, that's exactly what I needed to hear.

After all, when I first told him of my cancer, he paused for quite a while and eventually said "Hmmm, when you die, can I have your Taylor guitar?"

That response appalled many people but, for me, it was just perfect. My response? "You're not getting my beautiful Taylor Grand Symphony, silver spruce, rosewood, abalone and ebony guitar because........I'm NOT going to die!" He stared at me for what seemed like an eternity and then slapped his knee and said "Awww, bugger!"

PS: By now, you may have a sense of my buddy's personality! In no way am I advocating his unique style of councelling for others. It works for me only because I'm a stubborn, difficult, cranky so-and-so and my buddy has known that for over fifty years. Professional councellors can adjust their delivery perfectly to suit their patient's situation. Well, in combination with correct meds and self-discipline, one councellor actually got through to him, pulled him out of his mire and fenced it off. Great work!

Jellybaby1

Hi Brens!

1. You have a TAYLOR?
2. Your buddy sounds nice - invite him in here for a beverage, I have the kettle on!
3. You have a TAYLOR?

BrensBenz

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Hi Brens!

1. You have a TAYLOR?
2. Your buddy sounds nice - invite him in here for a beverage, I have the kettle on!
3. You have a TAYLOR?

Yep, I have a Taylor Grand Symphony, silver spruce, rosewood, abalone and ebony guitar (2010). Please don't think I'm mega-wealthy - the Sound Shop in Drawda Town had one, couldn't sell it and gave me a great deal on it.

And I know yizall think that one wooden guitar is the same as another but with just two basic strums (I had a damaged hand at the time) I could hear that this guitar was special. And, because it's made out of wooden wood and constantly maturing, it sounds even better now. Hence my buddy's intense interest in it!

I also have a Kawai Custom acoustic (1978), a Takamine classical (1989), a Morris classical (1975), a Takamine acoustic bass (2014) and a cheap and cheerful ukulele (2009) and mandolin (1972).

To bring this back on topic, I always took one of these instruments on my travels overseas. Working away from home, for years, wasn't easy but my guitar became my family while away from home and, with a camera and a Walkman, I believe, helped to fend off "the dumps".

So, if SAD shows it's ugly head, get stuck in to something you enjoy, preferably something with a "result" that can raise your spirits. For instance, my "nice?!?!?" buddy has become quite an accomplished water colour artist. The pleasure he feels when he has captured a mood shines from his face. However, his (ahem) buddy who likes photography, usually asks "how long did that painting take to do? I could do it in 1/60th of a second at f5.6!"

looksee

Brens, I think you are still missing the point a bit. Winter can get people down a bit, and its a good time to take up a new interest or concentrate on a hobby, get up and get going! But if you can do that, then you do not have SAD, you are just a bit down in the dumps. Maybe you need a mate or a partner to give you a nudge, but if you can solve it, or even make the effort to solve it, then it is just a normal part of your life pattern.

It is very difficult for someone else to know whether a person is suffering from SAD, or depression, or just indulging themselves, often it is difficult for the person involved. Certainly if you have a friend who seems to have problems, there is no harm in trying to involve them in activities or catch their interest. It is worth pointing out though that many people who are seriously depressed go to great lengths to hide the fact and can keep up a superficial level of being ok, while feeling dead or hellish. Trying to force them into 'normality' is a bit like telling someone with a broken arm, 'exercise it, show it who's boss'.