Seasonal Affective Disorder

[Bruce Almighty]

I seem to be struggling with winter blues this year.
Brexit, vegans & general anti-farming press getting me down. I've lost weight & now feeling the cold.
30 years of working 75-80 hours a week has caught up with me.

Me & Mrs both need a weekend away but that's unlikely until March

Do the SAD lights help & any reccomendations please ?

Thank you

 

[Jason g]

My other half says she suffers with sads. I feel for you she goes through hell and back try taking vitamins. Vitamin D I believe is what is needed if you Google it might be worth a shot. Why march to go away if you don't mind me asking. All the best

 

[Friesianfan]

I’ve got an alarm with a light that gradually gets brighter over half an hour.
I like it

 

[Bruce Almighty]

My other half says she suffers with sads. I feel for you she goes through hell and back try taking vitamins. Vitamin D I believe is what is needed if you Google it might be worth a shot. Why march to go away if you don't mind me asking. All the best

Cows calving & sheep lambing in Feb + wife has village news agency
Can't let the others down, you have to battle on

 

[Steevo]

@Clive has a SAD light I believe.

As far as Vit D goes, you can get sprays or supplements easily from chemist or online.

 

[Clive]

@Clive has a SAD light I believe.

As far as Vit D goes, you can get sprays or supplements easily from chemist or online.

I used to in our old office (which didn’t have big windows). It was very effective. My office now has loads of daylight so no need for it

Vit D also helps a lot

 

[Still Farming]

January nearly gone and nights getting lighter .

 

[Wurzeetoo]

My Nan and grandad have had this only last few years they’ve since changed light bulbs in the lounge for some kind of daylight bulb? local wholesaler will know. and use a sad lamp. they have noticed a big difference. As an aside I know it’s hard but whenever I’m feeling like this I try and take a few moments to notice the small things in life around me could be some birds playing in the hedgerows or watching a stream for a minute or even the beautiful colours the dogwood shows only in this otherwise bleak season sounds ridiculous when you feel as described but has helped me a lot

 

[Bones]

Try saint John's wart, Google it .

 

[Jason g]

If I'm feeling a bit low I find friends, family ferreting and shooting help me. Being out in the countryside Is always beneficial. Fair play to all you farmers for your honesty with your feelings us men don't talk about emotions a whole lot but talking helps and forums like this help all the best

 

[Angus]

I seem to be struggling with winter blues this year.
Brexit, vegans & general anti-farming press getting me down. I've lost weight & now feeling the cold.
30 years of working 75-80 hours a week has caught up with me.

Me & Mrs both need a weekend away but that's unlikely until March

Do the SAD lights help & any reccomendations please ?

Thank you

Hello Bruce Almighty I am sure I experience something similar though not as acute.If you do get a lamp I would be interested to know if it works for you.

I hope you feel more cheery soon and get the opportunity for that much needed break. Best wishes from South Devon,Angus.

 

[primmiemoo]

I seem to be struggling with winter blues this year.
Brexit, vegans & general anti-farming press getting me down. I've lost weight & now feeling the cold.
30 years of working 75-80 hours a week has caught up with me.

Me & Mrs both need a weekend away but that's unlikely until March

Do the SAD lights help & any reccomendations please ?

Thank you

Hi @Bruce Almighty , my aged p. was recommended a SAD light by the GP, and found it did make a difference to waking, and also in extending the mornings, iyswim.
Bought it from John Lewis online. They sell several sorts, so leaving it to the individual to choose if so wished.

Also, letting daylight onto bare skin helps. Not easy at the moment, obviously, but a few minutes exposing the underside of both forearms sunwards on clement days regulates vit D.

St John's Wort can affect other medication - if you take any - so the Pharmacist should be asked for a recommendation if you're thinking of supplementing.

Are you topping up with oily fish, or other mood boosting food at all? I find a nice piece of wild red salmon or some mackerel cheers me up, as does a square of really dark chocolate (high cocoa solids) accompanied with a strong coffee. All legal, non addictive, and healthy.

Echoing the others in best wishes to you both

Slightly envying your break!

 

[Bruce Almighty]

Hi @Bruce Almighty , my aged p. was recommended a SAD light by the GP, and found it did make a difference to waking, and also in extending the mornings, iyswim.
Bought it from John Lewis online. They sell several sorts, so leaving it to the individual to choose if so wished.

Also, letting daylight onto bare skin helps. Not easy at the moment, obviously, but a few minutes exposing the underside of both forearms sunwards on clement days regulates vit D.

St John's Wort can affect other medication - if you take any - so the Pharmacist should be asked for a recommendation if you're thinking of supplementing.

Are you topping up with oily fish, or other mood boosting food at all? I find a nice piece of wild red salmon or some mackerel cheers me up, as does a square of really dark chocolate (high cocoa solids) accompanied with a strong coffee. All legal, non addictive, and healthy.

Echoing the others in best wishes to you both

Slightly envying your break!

Thanks @primmiemoo
I have found coffee has made a big difference this winter, it's got me going when it has seemed easier to stay inside in the warm
I've had St John's wort in the past & it has usually helped
I agree about the sunlight / sunshine, any opportunity to get in it and I'm there like a cat
What's done me this winter is seeing my wife go through a nervous breakdown / exhaustion. Having to do her work coupled with the guilt of allowing it to happen in the first place. It also appears I've had a nasty virus that got hold of me, took my appetite away & with it the weight
As Mr Churchill said, "keep buggering on"
I'm embarrassed about being ill, reading my posts make me seem like a hypochondriac

 

[spin cycle]

nothing hypochondriac.....it's simple seratonin defficiency......sunlight and vit d help make it.......many of us have to take the pill form as supplement

 

[primmiemoo]

Thanks @primmiemoo
I have found coffee has made a big difference this winter, it's got me going when it has seemed easier to stay inside in the warm
I've had St John's wort in the past & it has usually helped
I agree about the sunlight / sunshine, any opportunity to get in it and I'm there like a cat
What's done me this winter is seeing my wife go through a nervous breakdown / exhaustion. Having to do her work coupled with the guilt of allowing it to happen in the first place. It also appears I've had a nasty virus that got hold of me, took my appetite away & with it the weight
As Mr Churchill said, "keep buggering on"
I'm embarrassed about being ill, reading my posts make me seem like a hypochondriac

Poor you. That sounds a really tough and trying time for both of you.

There's absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed about feeling ill, or saying that you feel ill. Sounds a grotty virus, too, so guessing you're having to build up - going for calories, little and often feeds, regular and steady rest ... bit like a recuperating calf? It's to be hoped more chocolate than a bovine would want, though.

One thing I've noticed around tough times is the temptation to find negatives and focus on them. I've prescribed myself a break from the B— word, switched off the hype, advertising and marketing around the v— word. It's all noise that's getting in the way of the important things. I'm acknowledging when they do crop up, but screening them out.

It can be done.

 

[Bruce Almighty]

Poor you. That sounds a really tough and trying time for both of you.

There's absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed about feeling ill, or saying that you feel ill. Sounds a grotty virus, too, so guessing you're having to build up - going for calories, little and often feeds, regular and steady rest ... bit like a recuperating calf? It's to be hoped more chocolate than a bovine would want, though.

One thing I've noticed around tough times is the temptation to find negatives and focus on them. I've prescribed myself a break from the B— word, switched off the hype, advertising and marketing around the v— word. It's all noise that's getting in the way of the important things. I'm acknowledging when they do crop up, but screening them out.

It can be done.

I know what you mean about a calf, if they lose appetite it's a battle.
Paracetamol for us, Metacam for calves makes a massive difference & you've got to feed the energy in somehow

Same thing with the negatives, I keep expecting the worst to happen with everything, my confidence has gone.

Things must be improving though, I went to the pub for an hour earlier, 1st time I've been for 4 weeks. (Had my first alcohol free birthday since 1981 last week !)

 

[primmiemoo]

I know what you mean about a calf, if they lose appetite it's a battle.
Paracetamol for us, Metacam for calves makes a massive difference & you've got to feed the energy in somehow

Same thing with the negatives, I keep expecting the worst to happen with everything, my confidence has gone.

Things must be improving though, I went to the pub for an hour earlier, 1st time I've been for 4 weeks. (Had my first alcohol free birthday since 1981 last week !)

Well there y'go - pub tonight, tomorrow, the World
Happy Birthday for last week, too, and many happy returns.

It's one of those things, isn't it. A knock for whatever reason, followed by a wobble, then back on feet, and on, maybe with a rare wobble, but heigh. It can be confidence, or physical strength, yet the patterns are similar. Sometimes they overlap.

You've reminded me to mark some more break time on the calendar this year, and stick to it, thank you. Earlier this month had my arm twisted by a friend to go off to an interesting place for a wander that included a pub lunch. The farm failed to grind to a halt for the half day, and I was back to see to things feeling quite alarmingly chilled.

It's the little things, as have already been mentioned upthread...

 

[Pasty]

Magnesium. Awesome stuff.

 

[Azlett]

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[Bruce Almighty]

It turns out I had depression not SAD

There were several reasons, mainly my wife's illness that turned out to be Parkinson's disease.

I tried Prozac in January & stopped after 3 days as it made me feel so bad.

I went back to the Drs in mid March & he started me on Sertraline.
After 3 weeks he doubled the dose and 2 weeks later I was feeling worse with terrible anxiety & sweating at night as well as losing more weight, so I called him & he put me on Mirtazapine
He said take them at half rate for 3-4 days then full rate. It was an overnight cure, as soon as the Sertraline had gone out of my system I was back to my old self. The Mirtazapine made me want to eat all the while & I think that was part of the cure. As I'd got my appetite back I stopped the Mirtazapine after just 3 days. That was a week ago & I haven't looked back since.
I've told my friends that in my experience the cure for depression is to stop taking anti-depressants !