Winter Blues

[Joshua Smith]

Seasonal Affective Disorder. Whatever you want to call it. I got it bad this year. I moved here in '94, from Albuquerque, NM, where I grew up. I work outside a lot, remodelling houses. When I got here, I was perfectly happy with the thought of never seeing the sun again.

I have a great life, honestly. Much to be gratefull for. But this time of year really gets to me- more and more, every year. All I want to do is sleep and eat. The @#$*ing sun rises at 7:30 in the morning, if you can see it through the clouds. It sets at 3:58 in the afternoon, unless it's cloudy- then, it sets at about 10:12 in the morning. I feel like a %@*&ing vampire or something.

How do the rest of you deal with it? Any tips or tricks? I already had my sunny getaway for the year, and probably for the next year, too, because the economy sucks, and I'm lucky to have a job right now......

[Tom Nic]

Diving, more diving.

The brightest lights you can afford in your house. Turn them on. ALOT.

Then diving & more diving. Did I mention diving?

Large doses of Vitamin D on a regular basis help as well.

[Joshua Smith]

Large doses of Vitamin D on a regular basis help as well.

I'd heard about that one, but I've never tried it- gonna give it a go tomorrow. Thanks, Tom!

[Sounder]

I haven't quite hit the SAD wall yet (moved here in 2002 if I remember correctly... or was it 2003) from the hot and sunny Southwest. Like you (Josh), I LOVED the idea of never seeing the sun again... that lasted until recently when I actually started appreciating the sun. I'm still happy when it's rainy, but it's finally nice to me when we get a sunny day here and there now.

I've heard of the full-spectrum light bulbs, magic potions, and anti-depressants, but I don't know that there is a correct answer. Perhaps sunny-trips are the way to go? I don't know. I just got back from spending 3 days in Tucson where we were outside much of the day, and for the first time I enjoyed the sun and the heat. Perhaps I'm headed down the SAD path?

The grass always seem greener on the other side of the fence - I say jump the fence every once in a while. Just don't do what I did during my first kiss with Mrs. Sounder and lean up against that (electric) fence.

[Tom Nic]

Just don't do what I did during my first kiss with Mrs. Sounder and lean up against that (electric) fence.

Ah... so THAT'S why she married you! (Or is it the other way around?!) [Speaking of thread hi-jacks!]

[Kalatin]

I am having the same problem. After 12 years in the South, with about days of winter a year, I am struggling with my second winter back in the PNW. I second Tom's diving and more diving solution. In addition, I am finding that working out regularly is helping quite a bit. It gets me out of the house and stalls my tendency to turn my house into a warm, well-lit cocoon. I have a friend who has a sun lamp that he swears by to get through the winter. I sat in front of his fancy light box and it was lovely, so it may be worth giving that a try if things get too bad. I wonder if I could get my health insurance to pay for light therapy?

[Burntchef]

http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps

http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/li ... 55_ctg.htm

we used to have a similar product at work, lots of people swear by them dude. you set it up and just go about your day in the office or even watching tv. the idea like getting vit d from the sun.you dont stare at it but your eyes will get the full spectrum its putting out.

call me and i can see if i can get one at work for you to check out. it would be great for paulas studio as well.

[LCF]

I have horrible SAD. By mid-February, I don't want to get up until 9, and I want to live on bread and pasta.

One of the solutions is to get somewhere sunny . . . and yeah, I know you said you had your sunny getaway for the year, but do you realize that just over the mountains, there is often SUN? I'm lucky enough to work in Eastern Washington, and getting up in the morning and seeing the sunlight glisten on the snow there is part of what keeps me sane. (I also get my rear out of the PNW at least once during the winter!)

Diving a lot seems to help a great deal as well. I'm convinced nitrogen is an antidepressant.

[Curt McNamee]

Yes, go to Mexico for a week and dive with the Hammerhead Sharks. Mel and I just got back a few days ago from the Sea of Cortez and it was just what we needed. We camped out for 5 days on a 31 ft boat basking in the sun and diving.

I also look forward to the shortest day of the year which is coming up very soon. After that day comes and goes, I know the days will start getting longer and Spring is just around the next corner.

Keep smiling Josh, the sun will come back !!!!!

[Pez7378]

I get it. I've been here for 37 years and I get S.A.D. bad. Not a big fan of the disorder really. There are much much better disorders to be affected with. Being SAD sucks.

[Grateful Diver]

I do like Curt and count down the days till Dec. 21 ... the winter solstice ... because I know that after that, the days will start getting longer again.

Well ... that, and I keep reminding myself how much I like night dives ... this is the time of year when I can get one in before my usual bedtime.

But unlike some of y'all I came here from New England, and if I ever start getting depressed about PNW winters all I have to do is remind myself that back there it often dips below zero and the ground's frozen for months on end ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[BASSMAN]

I keep reminding myself how much I like night dives ... this is the time of year when I can get one in before my usual bedtime.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I'm right there too Bob! I like the Night Diving!
I can't seem to get enough of it!

[enchantmentdivi]

Seasonal Affective Disorder. Whatever you want to call it. I got it bad this year. I moved here in '94, from Albuquerque, NM, where I grew up. I

Holy macaroli! I am DYING this year! I moved here from ABQ in 2001. I've been feeling a touch of SAD every year but this year, I am getting hit hard. Driving home the other day, I didn't know whether I was going to a have a fit of nacrolepsy or road rage or both or just cry. All I want to do when I get home at 5:00 PM is lay on the couch and sleep.

I took the plunge and bought a light therapy box from Costco (they have one online right now on sale for $30 off) upon several friends' recommendations--they swear by them. It has not arrived yet, but I'll let you know if it does the trick.

[John Rawlings]

The Engineer in the office next to me really suffered from SAD until last year. His Doc prescribed a light box, and he used it in his office. The problem disappeared, actually quite quickly.....now he just gets mad at other things!

With your working conditions - outside, in different structures each day, etc. - a light box probably wouldn't help much at work, if at all. But I'd bet if you used it at home - over your computer, for example, or out in the garage where you work on your dive toys - that it might help quite a bit.

John

[spatman]

another couple of votes here for full spectrum lights, vitamin D and TRAVEL. my wife is affected by SAD much more so than i am, but the first year we didn't have those lights and skipped traveling, we were miserable.

and like bob, dec 21 is practically a holiday for me, knowing that the days get longer from then on. (ironically, dec 21 is a holiday this year - it's the 1st night of hanukkah. so light a candle!)

[dsteding]

Exercise. Seriously, I sleep better and wake up earlier when I get a good workout in, and I find myself grumpy if I go a couple days without.

[Joshua Smith]

Thanks, everyone. Jenn, that costco light box looks interesting- last time I looked at something like that, it cost somewhere in the 800$ range, I think, and I decided I wasn't *that* depressed at the time.

Just deciding that SAD was kicking my ass yesterday was kind of a relief- I'm gonna try pretty much everything you all suggested here- starting with vitamins and excercise, and possibly a light box. Travel is out of the question for a little while, except maybe Eastern Washington, as Lynne suggested. (But I hear there ain't a whole lotta diving over there)

[Zen Diver]

I lived in west Texas for 8 years previous to moving here (I grew up on Vancouver Island), and I used to joke that I thought I suffered from Reverse SAD; I'd look outside my window at yet another brilliant sunny day and think "BFD...." I'd long for a dark, dull, overcast day and when they very occasionally happened my mood instantly improved. Maybe it depends on what is familiar and "home" to you as well.

-Valerie

[Joshua Smith]

I lived in west Texas for 8 years previous to moving here (I grew up on Vancouver Island), and I used to joke that I thought I suffered from Reverse SAD; I'd look outside my window at yet another brilliant sunny day and think "BFD...." I'd long for a dark, dull, overcast day and when they very occasionally happened my mood instantly improved. Maybe it depends on what is familiar and "home" to you as well.

-Valerie

As a proud New Mexican, I can tell you this, Val: The problem wasn't reverse SAD. The problem was that you were in Texas. Any normal human being would find that depressing.

[Dmitchell]

We've had one crap year up here. So far NOAA has rated 10 days as fair or better in 2008 (10 out of 343). That's just sad, the sun rises at 8:38 and sets at 3:08. It's a wonder that people aren't running around shooting each other!

Oh yea, we're supposed to get 20" of snow between this afternoon and tomorrow night. Ugh, time to dig out the snowshoes.

Seriously, I think you have to get out and keep active or it will wear on you. Diving, walking, skiing, whatever, get outside in what light is there and stay active.

Winter Solstice is my favorite day of the year! It's the worst it can get and things can only get better from there! Only 13 days to go!

I usually try to sneak a trip in sometime in Feb but since I've done 3 this year, I'll probably have to skip this feb and do Mexico in June.

Oh yea, as another person from NM, Texas was probably the problem!

[loanwolf]

And with the Police Crackdowns and the smoking bans you cannot go out and socialize at the pubs anymore. Now if you are out on the roads after dark they just pull you over for spot checks on the seatbelt so many of my friends will not risk it. The night life here used to be very good in the winter because that was our depressant release for many. Now I wounder if that is helping with the increase in the numbers of shooting and other violent crime we are seeing the last few weeks. I know it cannot be helping.

[Norris]

Awaiting some good solid feedback on if the lights work. My wife is from Vegas and she certainly is affected by our long winters. I want to get her a light for her desk. I was born and raised here and to tell you the truth I'm not affected much and when I lived in Vegas I was miserable.
However; our thing (my friends and I) was to stay busy and not hybernate during the winter. If your going to get depressed it would most likely be if you got nothing going on. I snowboard a lot but not as often as when I was a young buck. So that is why I got into SCUBA. I know that winter time is a good time to dive, and staying busy is KEY.

[loanwolf]

Or maybe we need to break out those old CRT monitors so we get a little radiation again. the LCD's are just not the same

[Sounder]

NWSD should run a sale on 50w HID - that's one light machine that'll brighten your day!!

[smike]

Seriously, I have had SAD every year until this winter. I started seeing a naturupath, and with a blood test, found my Vit D in the toilet. So after a good flush, he has prescribed 1000au Vit D 1x daily. If I don't take it for one day, I really feel it the next . Too much vit D has the same symptoms however, so if your going to take vit D, take an approach where you slowly increase the amount you are taking until it feels good. I would start with 500au, and work up to a max of 1500au. I'm not a doctor.

Mike