Seasonal Affective Disorder

 

I was diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as: Seasonal Acute Disorder or Seasonal Anxiety Disorder, way too many years ago, at least 17 - 20 years ago.

For about the first 5-10 years I took antidepressants (Citalopram) from September to February.  After that I started trying holistic techniques, not knowing at the time these were Somatic Healing techniques, just like what I use in my therapy today.  I was able to stop the antidepressants every year after this.

SAD can happen any season of the year.  Scientifically the year is split into two, summer and winter.  But some people are able to narrow it down to spring and autumn.  Mine tends to start in the autumn and end just before a spring starts, so I look at mine from the scientific perspective.

For me I do not get enough light and so need to produce more.  For those in the summer they get too much light and need to reduce it.  I also find that things I can handle in the summer, I get very stressed over in the winter.

Light therapy works well for me and I have a SAD lamp (in the photo) to help create more light in the dark mornings and evenings.  Don’t get me wrong I love being in the dark but the lack of vitamin D from the sun does really depress me.

I take a vitamin D tablet every morning throughout the year, so that in the summer I build up a good supply ready for the winter when my intake will be reduced to just the tablets and not much sun.

I took a holiday in October this year and felt amazing, I am still living off the benefits (2 weeks later), I think this will be my new goal, one hot location a winter, depending on finance, although it sounds like Spain is meant to be hotter then the UK in the winter.  I would like to maybe go in the middle of winter (December/January).

I have learnt to improve my moods by talking to others about SAD, filling my days with things and people I enjoy and having a good sleep hygiene practice so that I can relax and fall asleep faster at night.

The most uplifting of all is knowing I am not alone and that SAD affects 3 in 100 people (or around 2 million people) in the UK alone.  I know some of my friends that fit into this category and more are opening up about it now.  Having a support network of people that ‘get it’ is the best anyone can ask for.

Here are the key elements of a CBT program, by Kelly Ronan, that Balancing Belle works with:

1. Educate vourself about SAD

2 Consider how your activities contribute to your SAD symptoms.

3. Seek out pleasant activities

4. Consider how your thoughts contribute to your SAD symptoms.

5. Correct erroneous thought patterns (cognitive distortions)

6. Identify themes in your negative thinking.

7. Challenge your core negative beliefs about yourself.

8. Maintain your gains and work to prevent relapse

~ Tanya ~