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Anyone here suffer from SAD?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
For the past few years I've become extremely irritable and antisocial during the colder months. I thought it was just a general thing, like everyone gets bad moods when the suns away and we're slogging along in shitty weather but I cuahg the end of a documentary last night about SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and a lot of the symptoms seem to ring true-

Sleep problems: Usually desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake but, in some cases, disturbed sleep and early morning wakening
Lethargy: Feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine
Overeating: Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, usually resulting in weight gain
Depression: Feelings of misery, guilt and loss of self-esteem, sometimes hopelessness and despair, sometimes apathy and loss of feelings
Social problems: Irritability and desire to avoid social contact
Anxiety: Tension and inability to tolerate stress
Loss of libido Decreased interest in sex and physical contact
Mood changes In some sufferers, extremes of mood and short periods of hypomania (overactivity) in spring and autumn.


Anyway, I was wodnering is it worth going to my GP about, considering it's close to summer now and my moods generally approve around this time of year, friends/family/tutors have all noticed a difference and it's not as if anything else is going on to make me feel better. Can I fix the problem myself? The girl on the documentary said she was advised to visit sunbeds once a month, and that seemed to help her...

Any feedback would be lurvlee. :)

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    **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Hey Halloween,
    In TheSite's factsheet about S.A.D it says:
    Should I talk to my doctor?

    Yes. They can tell you where the NHS specialist SAD clinics are in the UK, and help you seek treatment.

    Actual tips (like the sunbed thing) are here:
    A perfect cure is going to a brightly lit climate, whether skiing or somewhere hot (any excuse for a holiday!)

    Otherwise, exposure to bright light every day by using a light box or a similar bright light therapy device may help. For most people, sitting in front of a light box for between 15 and 45 minutes a day (not staring at the light but allowing it to reach their eyes) will be sufficient to alleviate the symptoms.

    Hope that helps. :)
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