Winter And S.A.D.

Without Prejudice

I have had Winter Depression for as long as I can remember, maybe even as a little girl. I know as a young Mum I had it and for the Winter I would pack the kids off to School and huddle in front of the heater, eating massive amounts of carbs and sleeping a lot. I read up on it and here is what I found

easonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression, winter blues, summer depression, summer blues, or seasonal depression, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer,^[1] spring or autumn year after year. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), SAD is not a unique mood disorder, but is "a specifier of major depression".^[2]

Although experts were initially skeptical, this condition is now recognized as a common disorder, with its prevalence in the U.S. ranging from 1.4 percent in Florida to 9.7 percent in New Hampshire.^[3]

The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that "some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up."^[4] The condition in the summer is often referred to as reverse seasonal affective disorder, and can also include heightened anxiety.^[5]

SAD was formally described and named in 1984 by Norman E. Rosenthal and colleagues at the National Institute of Mental Health.^[6][7]

There are many different treatments for classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder, including light therapy with sunlight or bright lights, antidepressant medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy, ionized-air administration,^[8] and carefully timed supplementation of the hormonemelatonin.^{[9] On Wikipedis.}

^{At least I know it can be relieved. Not cured but. My treatment method involves heading North, away from the "greyness" of down south and to sit in the sun for a half hour everyday. I can feel it creeping on and can no longer stand the "greyness" in Melbourne. I take my meds and wait, keeping busy and trying to be motivated. It's a struggle, a battle, people always "battle" depression. I guess I could make friends with it and listlessly lie around but that makes me feel worse.}

^{I find I have to keep busy and work physically and go into a personal zone, where I don't affect others. It wears off eventually as the light gets better and days are not so short. Depression is the pits and I don't think a lot of people understand. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain, is strongly hereditary and basically all youhave to do is ride the wave of it and try not to "bottom out".}

^{I have been called "crazy" for so long it's almost part of my persona, now. I lost a child but I had the depression before she died. I can remember one year when my youngest was only 1 and had 6 kids under 4 I broke out in nerve rashes and psoriasis in my skin and elbows. I flew to Queensland and immediately felt better, my Sis helped me take care of 1 year old and I blossomed.}

^{I stayed long enough that time to feel a whole lot better and flew home when I felt I could handle Winter in Melbourne. I am convinced that people other people think you can just "snap" out of depression, trust me they are very dangerous people to hang around with and they are ignorant of the illness.}

^{No one can just "snap" out of depression, not without medication, as its a simple brain chemical imbalance and some people get it and some don't. Depression is not selective. It covers all socio economic, gender, age barriers. It is what i is. Reading novels helps as does light artificial or natural but the light has to be strong.} 

^{My Mum was a clinical depressive and my sister and I have it. My older sister being diagnosed with it six months after I was. It was worse for her as ostensibly she had nothing to be depressed about. I was about 45 and my sister 49. She hadn't lost a child, she was happily married forever and had no money worries. I was the opposite, but we both :got: depression.} 

^{Love Janette}