If you suffer from SAD when is it worst for you?

[Somanypiessolittletime]

For me it tends to start just after Christmas (before NYE which I HATE) and lasts until probably mid April. Everything feels so bleak and empty and pointless and cold. I've already got the feelings of dread starting now even though I actually really love Autumn. But my BFF suffers in Autumn. Late October and November is worse for her but the shortest day is a turning point. She actually likes Jan and sees it as a fresh start. I tend to get the fresh start thing in Sep, probably a hangover from school days. I really REALLY struggle to think of a single good thing about January.
So really I'm just curious to see which is more common.

It probably starts late August when it starts really getting dark early. Today my back pain has kicked in and the thought of months and months of cold and dark is really not good. I kind of get used to it a bit by Christmas but I'd say March ish is when the gloom really lifts. I seem to be solar powered and just need light and warmth to be really well. I would happily swap Christmas for year round sun.

SAD starting now. Will continue until Dec 21st or 1st jan. It's awful. The bleakness and stress of the next few months. I hate it 😨

Sorry to hear you're both already suffering. It's interesting that it passes so much earlier for you both though. I wonder why the timing is different for me from both of you. I don't have it yet. I DO have a sort of feeling of anxiety or dread, but I don't think it's actually the SAD, just the anticipation that it's coming.

I’ve definitely started to feel it in the last week. Lower energy and feeling a bit down. This is unusual because I’m usually ok at this time of year. Perhaps it’s the lack of summer that has triggered it. January/ February are my bleakest months. I try and get out if it’s a cold and bright day, but on dull and rainy days, I find it very difficult to do anything (apart from work). I’d love to retire to somewhere sunnier.

Late August to end of March. I absolutely hate Winter.

Some years I get it, some years I don't. This year was bad. It tends to 'only' last a month though from just after Christmas until around the end of January. Once we're into February and the days start getting noticeably longer again I start to feel better and emerge from my gloomy funk. We always go away at NY, which helps a bit, but the crash when we come back is miserable.

😱you poor thing

Before I had my dd I went through a phase of going on winter sun holidays in Jan, which was great. I know it’s not something everyone can do. But breaking up the time in some way, even if it’s a weekend city break in the UK, to a favourite city, can help.

I use to feel it after new year, which I also dislike all that must be happy must stay up to see the clock change I hate it. I don’t improve until about May April is full of bad memories it feels like January to the end of March is building up to April.

the last couple of years I’m finding it’s starting earlier, I use to love Christmas. But now all I see is the extra work, all the washing up, all the mess, all the smiling at presents under the tree that’s going to make the mess and the stress that someone has bought me something I’m going to have to be delighted with and hoping I will be.

no I think I’ll just stay in bed this morning and get up on the 1st of May

January/February are the toughest months. There’s usually light at the end of the tunnel from March onwards. But the past couple of years that have been constant rain and grey have been exceptionally hard. I feel like I’ve had SAD all year round.

I get it late September to around February, the worst points for me are always the end of October and near the end of January, I think the darkness builds up on me and improves when the clocks change then gets worse until the light starts to come back again.

Mind is usually October/November but it has hit earlier this year, struggling now

Jan-March, definitely March,I'm practically suicidal by that point. It's months of cold, dark, dank, dreary, dull, drizzle, rain, wind, storms meh 😕

Give me a clear, sunny, bright autumn and winter with snow and sun...but no we get neverending grey fog

I'm the opposite to you op. Once Christmas is over and January begins, I start to feel hopeful. The darkest day has passed and the evenings start to slowly get lighter. I also detest Christmas so am thrilled that it's over for another year!

Worst months for me are November and December. I start to feel the dread in September but as long as it's mild and bright I pretend to myself it's still summer.

I am trying out a light box this year so hoping that helps a bit!

but I don't think it's actually the SAD, just the anticipation that it's coming

I can relate to this. The actual dark and cold makes me miserable but prior to that, the anticipation makes me down. Once my dc are grown up, my dream is to emigrate somewhere warmer and sunny. If not, hopefully lots of winter sun holidays.

@Comedycook yea that's exactly the same as my friend. I love all the events in autumn like Halloween, fireworks, the. Christmas lights and I think that's what makes autumn ok - I just realised that all of those involved light!! Also the leaves on the trees, while they're still there (!) are all colourful and pretty. But winter?? Ugh. It goes on forever. I do get that the shortest day is done but it's so FAR from being light. I was feeling almost suicidal last January. It's like there's NOTHING. No daylight, no Christmas lights to compensate, no money (because Christmas!) no leaves on the trees, nothing.
God I'm depressing myself now. Sorry 😬

One thing I have started doing is when it is light, is sitting in my garden with my morning coffee. Yes I might have to bundle up in my coat but I find sitting outside even if it's cold helps me a little bit.

Try and tell yourself that from December 22nd, the evenings get darker by 2 minutes later every evening, so you’ll actually notice and see the difference of 15 minutes every week.

Personally I like January for a fresh start - declutter, healthy eating, cut back on alcohol, seeing snowdrops and primroses.

I find February and March worse because winter (weather) feels never ending by then.

I’m not a fan of Halloween or November either, but at least then there’s Christmas to look forward to

January and February are the worst months. I want to curl up and sleep it away. No energy, yet I crave carbs and chocolate.
As a child I can remember feeling tearful around Xmas time for no real reason.
It lifts when the sun shifts round and I can feel its warmth through the windows and the evenings become lighter. It's definitely about the light in my case. Gloom just makes my mood plummet.
Once Xmas is over there's that feeling of just getting through to March and brighter days.

F@ck. Life these days is just ONE LONG SHIT SHOW.

SAD kicks in mid Sept. BUT adhd overwhelm of July/August (kids off and work life SUPER busy) is only just passing.

A brief interlude. Then Christmas planning and responsibilities overwhelm kicks in.

January/February is key SAD season.

Marsh/April/May seems to be the sweet spot. Before it starts over 😫😫

My bipolar is seasonal and linked to day light. Low mood kicks in around August until Jan then my mood brightens in Feb until June

That's very interesting @Superscientist I didn't realise bipolar had any links with SAD but it does make sense.

Mine starts pretty much as soon as the clocks change in autumn. I'm at my worst in December and January. But I have found things that help. I keep lots of houseplants with full spectrum artificial lights in every room. They are set onto timers for 12 hours a day whether I'm in the room or not. These lights wake me in the morning and help me to keep a consistent day light period. Getting exposure to natural light every day helps, and I try to walk outside every day or tidy the garden etc. I take a hefty daily dose of D3 with k2 as I get very deficient over winter and it seems to help with tiredness. I also take iron and b vitamins daily.

I'm bipolar too!

@Somanypiessolittletime @WitchyBits
It was after realising that 3 years in a row I had an episode of high mood in May that I really spotted the pattern

I always thought my mood dropped in September because of the return to school/uni but it continued into employment too.

When I showed my psychiatrist my graphs for the previous year she said it was a very classical presentation of bipolar. My mood is well managed now and whilst my mood is lower through autumn/winter and high in spring/summer it currently does become depression/(hypo)mania