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.

I'm not a fan of the cold but much prefer freezing sunny days to milder grey ones. Three or more layers, a good woolly hat, a thick winter scarf and fleece gloves really help. Obviously I'm not trying to tell anyone how to suck eggs lol, but I'm out a lot just sitting on a mobility scooter and have learned how to stay warm.

I agree, no matter how cold it is I’ve realised that seeing the sun is more important to me.

Just joining this thread. What things help you? I think if I didn’t have responsibilities I would just embrace it, go to bed early, do as little as possible, hibernate until I can move. Somewhere sunnier.

I have a SAD lamp, take vitamin D, try to go out in the morning, sitting in the garden, practice yoga, mindfulness. I am not too bad in the mornings but by 2pm the energy starts dropping and anxiety increasing.

I heard that Sauna, hot yoga may help? Anyone tried it? Also a weighted blanket? Willing to try anything. Maybe an afternoon nap?

I don’t drink coffee but have started to have a cup in the afternoon to take the edge of things.

Would cutting on wheat and sugar help,? I don’t have a lot but like a sweet treat with my tea in the afternoon.

@Orquid I also do yoga, I mix it up with Pilates too. I also swim at my gym, I find a swim first thing in the morning helps boost my mood. I’m considering a Zumba class as well. Reading helps too, as soon as I finish one book I make myself start another. With me it’s very much about mood, I can spiral down very easily at this time of year. I’m not sleepy, I’m the opposite, I’m too wired, I feel on “high alert”.

Thank you. I need to go back into swimming as it really helps me. I prefer swimming outdoors which it is tricky this time of the year as the local lido isn’t heated.

Funny you feel in high alert. I thought everyone with SAD just felt tired and lacking in energy this time of the year.

Today wasn’t too bad, sat in the garden in the morning for awhile,short walk with DH before 2pm; managed to do some cleaning and house work and still up this time. I did have a coffee at 2pm and a rest in the afternoon though. Yesterday I was exhausted after a trip to town to see a show. Completely drained by 5pm, anxious and tearful. Not sure how I will cope when I am back to work next week.

It was sunny today so maybe that is the reason, I felt better.

Still here and reading. Just struggling with the balance of family life, managing my own energy and getting through this time of year.

I'm home alone as predicted. My little family have gone out to a friend's party and will stay over. So it's me and the dog and a ready meal.

I hope I can manage an early night because I feel broken from too many late nights and lie ins.

@Orquid i just have to work at being super kind and considerate of my own needs and try not to take on too much or constantly put others needs before my own. I try to get out every day but... If I don't I try not to berate myself. It's been a year of working on myself because I was so broken.

Roll on the longer days.

I just want the whole 'festive ' thing to be over. I'm so looking forward to a week of Tenerefe sun (actually, I can't say how excited I am at the thought of sun and a little bit of heat on the bones) and the slow climb to Spring. Happy new year all, and I hope it is one of light and blue skies. Xx

Hi guys
I'm @Fukcedoff ,I got locked out of my account and had to use an old one and lost all the threads I was on .
Hope everyone is ok ,and had a lovely Christmas

I normally do much better after Christmas is over

But it's freezing and I am in "stuck" mode

I didn't even do my usual New Year things! Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. But the forecast is bloody freezing.

It’s freezing here too but so bright and sunny that it’s starting to feel a bit more hopeful. I have a dilemma as I’m due to go back to work on Tuesday when my sick note runs out. I’m so not ready but also I can’t stay off forever and a new year seems like a good time to try and get back to it. Also, I’ve told my manager I intend to come back so I’d be letting them down if I don’t but I know I’ll be back to square one very quickly. I keep going round in circles as to what to do but I have an appointment at the eating disorder clinic tomorrow and will make a decision after that.

Yes freezing here too but we’ve had a lot of sunshine which definitely helps a bit. I’ve got a stressful week coming up, I normally just do casual work but I’m full time (including Saturday mornings) for the next two weeks . But this week I will also be having the bathroom ripped out completely and replaced. I’m getting so stressed already, I’m glad I will be at work, but the mess and the chaos in the house will be hard for me - I don’t cope with that kind of thing.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding I hope your appointment tomorrow goes well and helps you to make a decision about work.

I'm freezing permanently
Have started taking antidepressants,which isn't going well.
Two more months of this cold

@Newyearsparkle sorry to hear they're not going well
It can take awhile. Trust me, I have years of experience. Well, not years - decades. Exciting not to be on anything now.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding hope your appointment goes well.

I'm still finding the cold really grim. Walked back from mum's and saw people who just seemed to be out for a stroll. Didn't see that in the morning on my way in. Madness. I would never go out in this if I didn't have to!

I know some people love it though.

I don't remember having a really horrible cold winter for ages. I do tend to remember because I hate them so much. I know it's only been a short cold snap so far. Weather forecast is changing its mind every five minutes. I'm obsessed with looking at the weather forecast 😂

Thanks
It's escitalopram,do you have any experience of that .
I'm absolutely desperate for it to start working,as my anxiety is through the roof
I'm on on day 6 now ..I probably waited to late to start taking it ,I waited until I was desperate,rather than when things were getting worse

@Newyearsparkle oh I do feel for you 💐

I had regular citalopram. So I'm not sure how they compare, but that took about two weeks to make me feel better. I did spend some time coming on and off them before finally accepting that I had to take them and my experience was as you say, if you're desperate, and you've already fallen in the hole so to speak, then it's a bit slow getting out of the hole - but you are probably nearly there and maybe your one works faster?

The anxiety is always worse in the beginning. You could try taking Kalms, or any valerian tablet I suppose - I did scoff at this idea in the beginning but it helped. I was surprised. Now I'm not on any medication and I take those occasionally when I need them.

Morning anxiety is the worst - thing goes away honestly. You will feel better really soon. This bleak midwinter bit is a really hard time to try and drag yourself up, but it does work, h honestly.

Big hugs all round - for you and anyone that needs them.

Snow here this morning...looks so pretty, but desperate for winter to be over.

Sprinkling of snow here too. Good luck to anyone faced with a new year of school runs this week.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding good luck with your appointment today. I would suggest the fact you know you'd be back to square one at work shows that you aren't ready to return to work. You want your return to be manageable... Sustainable... Not just a reminder that your aren't there quite yet and need more time to recover... And build your resilience. You aren't letting anyone down by prioritising yourself right now.

I've been back at work on full hours after an extended absence since the end of the summer and it's only now several months later that I am actually starting to feel a bit more like myself. Do what's right for you and not work people xx

Thankyou ,that's a lovely kind message

Thank you. That is true, it is important to be kind and prioritise oneself which women are not always great at doing. I feel fine during the day, but my energy start dropping in the afternoon and anxiety increasing in the evening. I faced the sun this morning for awhile and took a nap in the afternoon as off work today. I am sitting in front of my SAD lamp and will do some meditation and yoga. Taking Vitamin D, omega and evening primrose oil.

Need to register for the local outdoor pool this week. One day at a time.

@mrsdiddlydoo I think you’re right, the ED ladies thought it was too soon to go back too but I hate letting people down!

@Orquid definitely one day at a time

@Newyearsparkle better to start taking them late than way way way too late. Hopefully you will feel things are a bit better soon.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding its mad how so many of us put everybody else first before ourselves. Social conditioning and being a woman sucks. Maybe try to prioritise not letting yourself down before work people. Because you're worth it! Work will still be there whenever you start back.

I'm having an uneventful day. Currently sat under a blanket next to a heater with stupid dumbass period pains. Yay for being a woman. Not!

It's cold
It's snowing -I really hate snow
I'm grumpy
I'm going to have a Mars bar.

That's pretty much it for me today, folks

Oh wait, I'm supposed to do a workout....!

@mrsdiddlydoo I was still in 2 minds, but this morning I felt oddly looking forward to going into work so I decided to go. I’m doing a phased return so only doing half days this week and it was really nice to see my colleagues. I didn’t do much except have a meeting with my manager and sorting out my emails and I’m working from home for half a day tomorrow. If it gets too much I will certainly go back off as it’s not worth ending up as bad as I was before. I was thinking about it in the car on the way as it triggered memories and I don’t think I realised how unwell I was. I’m not better by a long shot but better than I was.

@EmeraldRoulette I’m jealous, I love snow but we never get any as we live by the sea. We seem to be having a storm instead 🙈.

It's lovely and light here ,I'm just sat soaking it up