2025/26 SAD thread

[Idstillratherbepaddleboarding]

It’s 1st September tomorrow so we’re back for another year’s SAD thread.

Welcome all old and new who struggles in the cold and dark months for advice and general moaning!

The only rule is no talk of snuggling under blankets, crunching in leaves (which will realistically be a soggy wet mulch, or pumpkin spiced anything!

Advice from previous years’ threads:

A SAD lamp can help as can a daylight alarm clock.
Try to get outdoors when the weather/ light allows it.
Try to keep up with your exercise routine or start a new one!
Remember to take your vitamin D and multi vitamins.
Try to have something to look forward to.

With me it’s anxiety as well as low mood, the anxiety really ramps up in winter. I was awake from 3am last night. Outside is grey and rainy again! I can’t get excited about Christmas, I’m
just stressed about it - I don’t even know why!

The weather today is completely and utterly depressing. My spirits are well and truly sunk😫. I am wfh today and when I have finished my next online meeting, I'm going to work from bed.

@MissyB1 yes that happens to me as well, but I just get occasional flashes of it now. It's much better than it used to be.

@lyingonthebeach yes I thought the apocalypse had arrived when I opened the curtains this morning!

Just back from my second night out

Did the Irish exit thing. I just wasn't in the mood. Left about 10 I think. I think the others would've closed the bar. I must admit it was also because I knew it would be easier to get a cab at 10.

Really strange thing, I only had one drink, and I nearly fell over a step. Like one step which I actually know is there. I had that drink about 7 pm. So I think I nearly fell over it just as I was leaving, literally because I didn't have enough brain in to remember it was there!

it should've been such a nice evening but I just felt totally vacant. It was a big group though. Monday night I was just out with one person which is always much easier.

I think I'm not going to go out on New Year's Eve. I am expecting to feel better by then. But much as I appreciate having somewhere to go, I don't think it will be worth £100 or whatever cost it will come in at. If I could find out more about who was going, I might feel differently! I've actually got a friend dropping round during the day and that feels like enough. I do rather like New Year's Eve but...no. Unless I perk up significantly by then!

Yesterday was thoroughly depressing. I can’t deal with any more rain and mud 😭😭.

My friend has lost a load of weight this year and had a major confidence boost and now wants to be out doing things all the time but I’m really struggling to want to join in. We have a family event on Saturday and then she’s asked us to go to karaoke in the local pub in the evening. It doesn’t start til 9pm and 2 things in one day is just not manageable (I’m not complaining about her, I love seeing her new found confidence and zest for life, this is a me problem!).

Hallelujah! What is the bright orb in the sky?! It is a miracle...
What a terrible day yesterday was.

Last day of term today.. The house is a shit tip. I've a list longer than my legs and arms put together. And soon there will be no more quiet moments in the house until 5th Jan.

I'm always so super impressed at all your abilities to make (some) plans and go out and stuff. We did a school thing last night. I managed to embarrass myself twice with conversations with other parents. I just blurt out what come into me head and it just doesn't come out right or sounds really dodgy.

I've managed to already walk the dog. Building up to a shower then before I know it it will be school pick up again.

Very grateful for the sun today, although there’s a freezing wind! I’ve done a few jobs but still got lots to do, and I’ve got terrible back ache eugh!

We are going to something in our town park at teatime, festive tunes in the bandstand, with mince pies and mulled wine. I want to look forward to it, but I’m not.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding yes the rain and mud have been awful. Doesn’t make walking the dog very appealing.

@mrsdiddlydoo oh no, what did you say? If it makes you feel better, I said something that I thought was totally fine, and it caused a few looks last night. The funny thing is, there is a very loud lady who is normally around at these things, and I'm sure if she had made that joke, no one would bat an eyelid. She also does loads of innuendo type jokes. Mine was nowhere near that. The reaction was such that I decided to explain myself... and people were like "yeah it's okay - we get what you meant, it's not a problem".

I'm known as the person who is very quiet and sweet and polite, so perhaps they're a bit thrown. It was also a new person who seemed to think it was a bit shocking and I don't know... I did feel a bit uncomfortable. But there was a member of the bar staff there when I said it, and I asked him if it was okay and he said "it was absolutely fine and nothing to worry about, I wasn't expecting that reaction either". I know him quite well. Im Probably in the pub too often 😂

I got a lot of looks in there in a similar way when they found out my last boyfriend was very young (late twenties to clarify, before anyone gets any really weird ideas. I mean if that age gap is acceptable for Joan Collins... actually no I think the age gap is bigger in her ).

I don't know - maybe they're just set in a way of thinking. It's weird because he and I are still friends and I was actually testing the water to see if it was okay to bring him in there next time we meet. I think the answer is probably no!

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding that's interesting about your friend. I have been fat and thin and everything in between. It doesn't change the fact that I have SAD. There are definitely some years that are better than others and also I found it's got better as I've got older. In my 20s and 30s, it was horrendous, but that might also be because I was working such long hours.

How's everyone doing?

I'm guessing most people are busy now

I'm still thrown at how little I can get done in the day! It was sunny today but it's just like total brain fail. I feel like winter started off better, but now we're in the really dead part of it, it's a struggle. But I know I'm not the only one counting down for the shortest day.

I’m getting stressed about Christmas Day, well I’ve been stressed about it for weeks. No good reason at all other than I’m just feeling low as I always do at this time of year. But I will have to try and be upbeat for dh and the kids, it will take huge effort. I wish I was on holiday in a warm Country just chilling and drinking cocktails!

@MissyB1 i'm sorry to hear you're feeling stressed

Christmas day is nearly out of the way too

I meant to stick this on the wall - I heard a bird sing in the dark of December, we're closer to spring than we were in September!

I love spring!

I do find it easier once January arrives although it's a rather bleak month overall with the weather and the emptiness after Christmas is over. Once we are into February I really start to feel that spring is on the horizon.

I’m still here reading your posts - but without anything to add myself.
Went out to drinks party last night, lasted less than an hour then slipped away. Just seemed so pointless.
Desperately longing for 1 Jan I can cope much better as we climb towards spring rather than into winter. Plus it’s the year of the Horse then, rather than this truly awful Snake year we’ve had. According to my DD this means good things all round! Although looking at the news, I rather doubt it.

Did the big Christmas food shop this morning, Aldi and Asda, both hideous! It’s another grey damp day here, everything just looks dirty, muddy, and miserable. I would cope better if it was sunny, frosty and crisp. It’s this “grey” that really upsets me!

@MissyB1 I hear you. It's the oppressively grey damp that just crushes me. I'm fine with biting cold when it's crisp and bright

I know today is always a terrible day

Me and Mum are deep into the SAD though I am pretending I'm okay

I feel like she's put up with a lot more of these than I have so...! gosh I always find Christmas a bit miserable, I hope she can pull it together a bit more for that otherwise we're stuck together for longer.

It’s hard when we have to hide how bad we are feeling isn’t it? Trying to be strong for others and not wanting to drag them down can feel huge. It’s my youngest ds birthday tomorrow (he will be 17), so I need to bake his cake today. There’s so many things to do today though and the dog is waiting for her walk. I’m really struggling to get going, didn’t sleep a wink last night, tossed and turned all night. I need to get my act together.

@MissyB1 oh sorry to hear that about your lack of sleep

It's so difficult, isn't it?

I've had a distinct decline in the last few days. Like suddenly falling into a hole of depression. That is a bit of a risk of not taking medication anymore, I guess.

Hello everyone, sorry for being quiet, we’ve had such a busy few days and actually it’s been lovely! I’m lucky that I love Christmas and it carries me through a bit but then I get a serious crash in Jan-April.

@Bonden random piece of information. Someone told me today there is going to be a lego year of the horse model. I'll have to Google it now to check.... Yup there is. Not released yet.

I've been busy trying to do a bit of Xmas prep every day and trying to rest and not get overwhelmed. It's working to a degree. Today I cooked a ham. Which always amazes me because I don't eat it.

Going to watch Die Hard to try to help me get into the Christmas spirit!

I'm a dragon, and I saw a lovely glass paperweight with a dragon in it in the last time it was my year. I didn't buy it and I totally should have.

btw I have discovered that a very good song to listen to in the dark of December is "August", particularly the original album version with your headphones in, because some of the notes seem to evoke summer. The album version is much more summery than the tour version I think. It's the gentleness of the music.

I struggled with sleep again last night despite being really tired when I went to bed. Didn’t help that dh is a poor sleeper too, so we both tossed and turned from about 3am. Anyway he’s at work now and I’m going off for a quick swim at the gym. Then have to hit Waitrose just for a couple of last minute bits, then take the dog to the vet’s as she has an eye infection- of course she does it’s Christmas! 🤦‍♀️
planning on going to a crib service at church this afternoon, hopefully will help me feel more positive.

Hope everyone has had a good Christmas! We’ve had a lovely time but I’m seriously socialised out now. The weather has been stunning all week which has helped and I’ve noticed it’s getting dark later every day.

Yes the weather has been a blessing! It’s encouraged me outside and I’ve enjoyed it, did a big walk up a steep hill and through woods today. It was definitely lighter yesterday evening, but I do think that’s a bit to do with the weather as well.

I'm finding the weather absolutely horrendous

I don't do well in the cold, it wears me out and makes me feel really down. I did actually try not to go out when it was horrendously cold but sunny - but it's very difficult to avoid in my case

The temperature measurements are never accurate these days - I think that changed when they changed measurement and forecasting methods - so when it was feeling like 2°, they were saying it was more.

Christmas Eve was particularly dreadful, just biting icy wind.

We are back to the dark grey here unfortunately, and it’s not any warmer anyway, just grey and freezing 😩