2023/24 SAD thread

[Idratherbepaddleboarding]

Hi again, I’m back for another year ☹️. I can’t see that anyone has started a SAD thread yet but today seems to be the day that it’s really kicking in! So here’s another thread to support each other through winter 🥶.

Just to introduce myself, I have regular depression with SAD on top, an eating disorder and ASD (a fun combination).

All are welcome, the only rule is no one is allowed to mention, hygge, snuggling or being cosy!

I bought a walking treadmill for home, it arrived today and has made a huge difference to my feeling of alertness.

Yay! That sounds great. Sadly I hate the gym now.

bit warmer and a bit of sun tomorrow. Today's been better than yesterday - progress.

I knew tortoises were my spirit animal 😂 (I have 2).

Aw this thread is so supportive and really makes me realise I’m not alone. Honestly Wednesday was just awful but I had a better day yesterday, managing to eat better and again stay away from the wine.

in terms of the light boxes people have. I’ve seen a couple online but the price difference is staggering. There are some for £30 then some for hundreds. Are they something it’s worth paying a lot for or would the cheaper ones do the same job?

honestly I can’t say how much this thread helped me on Wednesday, just by knowing I’m not alone xxx

@Cheesecake1989 I think about £40 is a fine price point. I bought one for £30 and the fuse went immediately. Then found one they have in John Lewis on Amazon for £40. I would say it is more gentle than a similar priced Maplin one I had which was huge, but I just have it on constantly all day instead. The Maplin one, if I had it on for too long, I could not sleep at all and it triggered my ADHD hyperfocus. Mind you there could be other factors as I am 5 years older now!

Consider size and if you want high, low settings too.

I tidied the bathroom yesterday. Major win.

And the hallway, golly that is two tidy rooms.

Bedroom, study, kitchen, lounge to do. Then deep clean of each of those. One bit at a time.

@Cheesecake1989 Glad it helped. A cheaper one is fine, you don't need to spend a lot, I think mine was under £30. I live in a small space though.

I broke the original one while moving so it might have carried on for years.

@MistyTrains2 So pleased to hear that. I got quite a bit done last night but then didn't sleep till about 3, woke up at 5....however, that means my third coffee worked which is good.

Allegedly it's milder out today but the flat doesn't feel it. We will see...

I love this!

Misty, damp and grey here today. I'm still not sleeping well and so tired. Feel like a zombie.
I have to go outside for work this afternoon. I know I'll feel better afterwards but I really don't want to step out of the door.

@OrangeDino I know the feeling
I had to go out this morning - wet leaves are a big hazard for me and they're everywhere - I'm done for the day now. Hopefully get an early night and big clean/organise done tomorrow. Didn't sleep much last night.

I desperately need to do some exercise but can't find the will. Errands meant a total of hour walk though, partly uphill.

Urgh it’s absolutely torrential rain here again today! We’d planned a nice dog walk and a trip to a dog friendly cafe but he won’t even go outside for a wee and I don’t blame him!

@EmmaEmerald I think 1 hr walk with hills counts as exercise! Hopefully it will help a bit.

@Idratherbepaddleboarding your poor dog, although I don't blame him!

Raining here too. I've returned to bed!
But today Christmas must be sorted. If we have a preparation thread next please someone tell me to get Christmas shopping done early. It's so overwhelming when it gets to this time of year, especially if you're not one who naturally sparkles at Christmas time! There's so much on and things to remember. I've had such a busy week and would be happy to sleep the weekend away.

@OrangeDino the weird thing is, when we do finally get out, he’ll find every puddle to run through 🙈. He keeps looking at me like, “why aren’t you turning the rain off?” He’s also tried both the back door and the front door to see if it makes any difference 😂.

Hope you manage to get your shopping sorted!

@OrangeDino https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/4935236-in-preparation-for-christmas-today-i-will?page=1

Preparation thread to help you.

I'm resembling a sloth here. I have so much to do but no motivation/energy / pain tolerance to do it. Physical pain is high. House is a bombsite.

Fridge freezer has been turned off for over a week as waiting for repair man. Thankfully my insurance has come thru for the loss of food so just waiting for that to hit my account.

Tomorrow I am booked to go to a community Christmas lunch locally, there is a group of us who go each year, we make up a table of 8, entertainment this year is by one of the kids who was the voice kids finalist. There will be dinner, drinks and dancing. I don't care if I go or not at the moment but I've already paid weeks ago.

Psychiatrist Appointment on Tuesday morning,
CPN visit on Thursday afternoon.

Can't seem to wake up

it's nearly 4pm! I have to do my nails and stuff as out for lunch tomorrow.

place is a tip. Yikes. I have paperwork to sort that I can't find...in a tiny flat!!

I think my increased sertraline and trying to eat more must be kicking in as I’ve been quite upbeat for the last 2 days! It annoys me though that I literally have to medicate myself just because I live in a shitty climate though. We’re off to a local garden centre tonight that goes all out for Christmas, it’s a tradition we’ve had since DS was a baby. I always feel a bit sad though that I can no longer lift him to see the displays (he’d be more likely to lift me now!). DS is obsessed with cooking and is just putting on a hotpot for when we get home, so there are advantages to growing up.

We did manage to get out for a dog walk earlier but it was hideous. I could hear the wind starting up through the trees, it sounded like an aircraft taking off!

I've got a tiny bit done now.

Annoyingly I got hungry after my coffee kicked in, so I would have done a lot more but stopped to cook and eat a very early dinner - all timings go wrong at this time of year - and going to watch some TV now.

Hope to start on chores again about 7. Out tomorrow and would rather not come home to a tip!

very windy here too.

I dunno why I find this thread really comforting! Like we don't have to pretend to be positive and upbeat.

And no one is questioning if we are sure we are depressed (a common response from my DM, SO tired of this, if she just validated the feeling rather than me having to prove it, it would be a lot easier.)

This weekend has been a bit of a non starter. I got sucked into a lot of paperwork, finding old emails, then I had to get ready and go out for a Christmas dinner, more faff this morning, now catching with some work from last week. It has just flown. I guess the positive side is that we are now 11 days only until the 21st Dec. Light coming at end of tunnel, literally.

@MistyTrains2 yes, we can be ourselves!

Yes, nearly there, sort of dragging myself to the finish line.
Was out for lunch today, now in PJs and sleepy! Restaurant was cosy. My friend was freezing as soon as we stepped outside but doesn't have a duvet coat. It is much colder than they say.

i tried spiced rum for the first time. Not tasting any spice tbh.

@MistyTrains2 i also find this thread comforting! It’s so helpful and supportive.

I actually had a lovely weekend, despite literally torrential rain! Back to work with a bang now and a load of crap to deal with!

Here we go last week before Christmas. 10/10 anxiety and high sad feelings. Hopefully I'll feel better later.

@MistyTrains2 Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you haven't got lots of nonsense to do? I get my dates wrong this time of year, you know it's the 11th today? So two weeks.

Sunny today - I knew that would happen as I'm pooped after being out yesterday. That's the state of my winter energy level. But also, going out yesterday made me quite anxious.

After the two rums I had some CBD and I slept through a car alarm right outside, apparently. This morning I looked at my pill box as I genuinely wondered if I took a pill and forgot, but no, I slept through it.

Don't feel up to a proper walk but it does seem okay enough temp wise to just pop a coat on and do a slow tiny potter around the block.

This time of year is so volatile - yesterday I was thinking "I will start exercising again". Today I'm like "what was I thinking?"

I don't know if this is winter but I am exhausted today. It's as if going out was too much, to a greater extent than I realised?

I had a half hour nap at lunchtime!