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 identify with all of that!

Sometimes it’s easier than others to be gentle with myself. A work in progress.

❤️

@JoJo36 I am far from at my best but after being off sick and Occupational Health saying I’m not fit to be at work, I figure they can have me doing my best or not at all!

I like the idea of accepting where we are at right now, it's too easy to demand more of ourselves and wanting to achieve everything we think we should be capable of. Instead perhaps we should be just be nurturing ourselves more and judging less?

New here so hello everyone.
I visited my GP last week as I’m suffering, yet again, with gastro issues and anxiety/depression.
By looking back through my records she pointed out that
my health issues appear to occur in sept/oct/nov and again in Jan/Feb and had I heard of SAD?

I know that I hate winter, that’s for sure but hadn’t actually made the connection as I feel that my problems are related to health anxiety but can one trigger the other?

Anyway, I’m at my lowest when I wake up (apparently that’s when cortisol levels are at their highest) and usually get slightly better as the day goes on, so I go to bed with the hope that the next day will be better - it isn’t 😔.

I wake about 4 times during the night and usually manage to get back to sleep - eventually, but once I get up I’m feeling nauseous, shaky and the dreaded feeling of doom! Sad, afraid, ‘jelly’ legs etc. I’m finding it so difficult to eat so I get anxious over that. It just seems never ending.

Sorry this is turning out longer than intended but, I’ve read through all the other messages and recognise that others have a lot of the same symptoms so can understand, and I don’t think my family really do at all.

Does anyone get very heavy eyes? Like just closing them is the only thing to do? Not just at night time but all day?
I know that anxiety, constantly being in fight or flight mode is exhausting but the eye thing is a new one for me.

I already take propranolol and sertraline and have just bought a therapy light so fingers crossed that helps 🤞

@Jataz5 welcome 👋. I have regular depression on top of SAD so I’m sure health anxiety and SAD can Co-exist sadly! All your symptoms sound very familiar 🙁.

I don’t get the feeling that my eyes need to close but I do feel like they’re straining to get the tiniest bit of light in so that seems similar to your ‘heavy eyes’.

Hi and a warm welcome 🤗

I’m so glad your GP has made the connection as it might just help with managing it.

I am using the Lumie mini typing this. I think it helps but I just long for the ease of feeling like myself and not having to work so hard at self care and managing my mental wellbeing.

I am 9 weeks into an increase in my antidepressants and I think that is helping too.

Still, I get IBS and anxiety and low moods and tearfulness.

I don’t think I get the eye thing but it’s funny what struggling does to our bodies isn’t it?

It’s great you get back to sleep but if you are ever awake just know you aren’t alone and many of us may be awake with you!

Do you do any meditation? I know it can be hard if you are feeling wobbly.

xxx

Thank you for replies. Crikey - just me with the eye thing so far. Something else for me to start catastrophizing over. What with that and trying to get the courage to ring doc for blood test results, it’s not looking like a good day 😬🤪
I haven’t tried meditation as yet but willing to give it a go. Any recommendations?

I’m just thinking I think I do get heavy eyes at times, like I just need to close them. I think it’s fatigue and needing more rest and recovery time in winter. Nature has her eyes closed and is pretty dormant so I guess it makes sense.

Meditation wise I really love Tara Brach. https://www.tarabrach.com

It’s an American voice. She is so gentle and there are short ones, heart ones, open awareness ones and it’s all free.

Also there’s an app called insight timer that people often recommend. See which voices you find helpful. I always do guided ones.

Is anyone else feeling really sad today?

I keep crying 😔

I so wish this would go.

I do tend to feel like this in February and feel a bit better by the end of Feb but I still doubt I’ll ever feel better. I just want to fast forward to a time when I feel more like myself again.

Thank you for meditation recommendations. I will definitely give it a go.
i also felt like crying this morning, due I think to waking up yet again feeling sick and full of dread. Also not helped by how dark, wet and grey it is here. I’m just longing for the days when I can take my morning coffee and sit in the garden again ☀️

Not great here either
Head feels all fuzzy and I'm desperate to go back to bed
I think my blood pressure meds are to high ,as I keep feeling faint and they haven't been changed since I lost 10 stone .
I honestly thought my weight was causing all my problems
Yet here I am again ,still struggling,not coping,. desperate to get back in to bed and only just lunch time .
I've always had the fuzzy head feeling,wish i knew what it was ..I feel like you could slap me across the face and I wouldn't react

So much rain..SO much rain. Fed up with it.

I totally agree. It's utterly draining and depressing 😞

Sorry everyone's feeling so bad

I'm in the same boat, floating to nowhere in the rain!

@Newyearsparkle oh my God, if you've lost 10 stone you definitely need your blood pressure meds checked. You may not need medication at all now?

they changed the parameters over the years (to get more people on medication IMHO). My blood pressure used to be considered low. I still consider it low.

They now consider it to be very healthy, but I would say that it contributes to feeling low. It's probably better for me if it's a bit more in that old range that was considered normal.

We are almost there guys.Bought some daffodils for a pound and they cheered me up.I applied for PIP last Autumn for SAD panic attacks which get worse in winter ADHD and autistic traits awaiting assessment.
Not sure if I will get it.Winter is so hard for some of us Christmas is the worst.

@whatisforteamum if you work, you might as well not bother applying for PIP as they use it as a reason why you shouldn’t qualify even if the areas have nothing to do with working!

It’s been grey, windy and raining here for days and I’m so sick of being cold! Work is unbearable too, I’m done with it all and I have to go out tonight and I have no motivation to do so!

Forgot to say

(because my brain isn't working)

The heavy eyes thing

I don't feel it, but my eyes look really weird when I'm struggling with SAD. They don't feel weird but they definitely look weird. Like they've shrunk or something.

I normally just read on here and nod along with you all but I think I’m reaching the end of my tether with everything atm.

Winter always gets me down and I try to get to the end of January (seeing snowdrops usually helps) and then start to feel a bit more positive. This year however, it’s just relentlessly shit. We’ve had stress with the garden and dog and work hasn’t been easy (due to the weather) and I can’t see the light and the end of the tunnel. I’m a runner but I need my head “on” to run and get out of the house so I’m just lifting weights in the living room like a hermit and cleaning over and over again.

Each day is just grey, it’s like a reflection of the country’s mood which then makes it even harder to do those things that might make us feel better. Even on the last sunny day here (which was over a fortnight ago ), a run, walk and talk with a friend didn’t do anything for me by the end of the day.

I suppose I’m just writing for a vent. Solidarity ❤️.

I hear you.

It’s really tough and when usually uplifting things don’t quite give us the lift we need I find that exceptionally hard.

xx

@Northerndoglover Yes I’m also struggling to find any positives at the moment. About to go on yet another wet muddy dog walk sigh….

Each day is just grey, it’s like a reflection of the country’s mood which then makes it even harder to do those things that might make us feel better.

@Northerndoglover I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here. Everything is shit! It just all feels so pointless.* *

Does anyone else have thoughts, kind of like ruminations, that they won’t feel better and they just feel so low and can’t shift it?

I have moments when I come out of it but my goodness it’s so tiring and I don’t want to feel sad anymore!!!

I worry it won’t pass even though past experience tells me it will. Sorry, not very uplifting for any of you 😔

Yes it has entered my mind that perhaps this year the low mood won’t lift. But I find my strategies for tackling it are all more appealing and achievable in better weather. So more outdoor time, meeting up with people, evening exercise classes etc… I’m so much more likely to those things in good weather. So although I know I will still have to work at it then I’m hopeful the strategies will work.

That makes sense.

I think when a low mood comes over me it feels like it clouds out the hope for a while.

If the sun would just visit us all today that would be so lovely! And I think would boost that hopeful feeling that everything passes.

Thanks for replying ❤️

Welcome @Jataz5 I think when I'm at my most tired, worn out, stressed lowest my eyes feel heavy. I just assume it's related to my body feeling like it is in constant fight and flight and a sign I need to stop and rest. I'm sorry you find yourself here but you are definitely in good company.