When do you get SAD?

Aug 05, 2011 17:47

I remember reading that SAD starts in January for most people. For me, it seems like it's almost directly in line with the solstice. I start feeling glum at the end of July, by the end of October I'm getting panic attacks and crying spells, and the beginning of December I feel dead. The rest of the winter is touch-and-go; I think it's more affected ( Read more... )

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Comments 5

mortuusanima August 6 2011, 05:41:09 UTC
I always start doing my light around my parents anniversary, September 18th. I always seem to have a really bad day that day and thought I should start there.

So I start feeling crappy round September, but can usually function with my light and medication until about the end of January, which is when I can't do much of anything. Then when the clocks turn back I'm back to me.

I use my light in the early morning when it's dark out and I find it helps me wake up when it still feels like the middle of the night LOL. I actually think I go to bed easier when I do it in the morning.

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pane_carasau079 August 6 2011, 13:58:34 UTC
Mine started when I went to college in Michigan. It began in January, and ever since then, (even moving back home to the East coast) I get it in January.

I am a seasons fan - LOVE autumn & LOVE the holidays associated with it. After my birthday in the end of January, I feel like crap and start getting depressed. Doesn't help that I work the hours the sun is out (10am-7pm).

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biobrite August 8 2011, 20:16:53 UTC
Hi! It sounds like a visor would be more useful for you. With a visor, you can wear it around in the morning or...whenever you're running around, so it's great for people who don't have time to be sedentary. If you're going to go with a light box, the industry standard is 10,000 lux, so you'll want to look for that. Also be sure there are no UV rays emitted. With a visor, since the light source is closer to your eyes, you don't need 10,000 lux, but 3000 or so will do it. You'll want one that fits comfortably on your head and has light angled the way the sun would naturally enter your eyes. Also, you should consider one that has a timer and brightness control. With light boxes, you can't control the light but with some visors you can.

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wretched_snail August 8 2011, 21:34:16 UTC
Thank you so much! That sounds almost perfect (except for feeling like a freak show around my coworkers, lol, but I'll just have to get used to it). I've never heard of the visors before.

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biobrite August 9 2011, 13:16:51 UTC
Haha, sure! Most people use visors in the morning before they go off to work while doing morning stuff. I work for a company that makes lights for SAD, so take a look at our site (linked via my lj - biobrite . com) to see our visor. The Deluxe Light Visor is the one you'd most like (bc of the brightness control and the timer, you don't have to worry about getting too much or too little therapy). Plus it's lighter than some other visors bc the controller clips onto your hip so the weight isn't on your head.

The best thing to do is to start off with about 20 minutes using the visor at a low brightness and just keep track of how you feel. Unlike regular medicine where you can tell "I weight x and I'm x tall so I take x much of syrup" light therapy depends on each person's brain.

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