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.

Yes yes and yes. When we're in midst of it all it can feel impossible and like you might never feel well again. Even though you know you probably will at some point. It's hard to see the wood for the trees sometimes. I ask my dh whether it will be ok again and I'm lucky that he's sufficiently reassuring most of the time and it helps.

It will all pass. I promise. We can do this. It's just really hard sometimes and that's OK.

Thank you, that’s really helpful, reassuring and very validating ❤️

My husband is like that too and said earlier the sun and the blue sky is still there (my feeling good) it’s just all hidden at the moment behind the clouds. But it’s still there, you just can’t see it at the moment.

I feel the same way. Each day seems a bit worse and goes on for longer. I can’t imagine ever again feeling enthusiasm for anything at all but we just have to believe we will. Easier said than done though 😩

I know exactly how you feel. I hate wishing my life away but that’s exactly what I’m doing at the moment.

xx

I'm really struggling

Do you like reading? Books are helping me a bit, also baking, l love cake!

@MissyB1 I can't engage my brain at all

I can scroll here though! Honestly, it's the only thing I'm fit for today

I had a really nice workout yesterday and I felt so good after it but today I'm just shattered.

I had to walk down to mum's yes it was raining, and she asked me one practical question, just one, and I almost burst into tears.

I've now got the annoying thing where I have to remind her that I'm not on medication so I'm really struggling

But then she forgets. If I look normal, then she thinks I'm normal. I had forgotten how annoying that was. Like it's only if I actually burst into tears several times that she might realise that something's wrong.

I also normally feel better by the beginning of January, actually. I did realise I wasn't quite right on New Year's Eve. But now it's the 7th of February and I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Like others, I would just like the next couple of months to disappear somehow.

was it Joan Rivers who said "when you're walking through hell, walk faster"? She said it about depression. So I have to try and find a way to make time go faster. Ironically, scrolling online does that.

I do have to run errands and stuff tomorrow and as previously mentioned, I don't drive so there's no risk of me just sitting at home - my ordinary life means getting loads of outdoor walking - but that's quite damaging at the moment.

EmeraldRoulette

’If I look normal, then she thinks I’m normal’. THIS!

The amount of times I’ve pretended to be ‘normal’ to people and I’m thinking if only you knew that in my head I’m screaming, shaking and terrified of…who knows what! 🤷‍♀️

So many people on here feeling the same. I find it hard to believe that the medical profession can do so many amazing and unbelievable things and yet, here we all are, trying to figure it out for ourselves.

@Jataz5 I didn't explain that very well

Basically, considering I've been in treatment for depression and anxiety for literally decades, I don't really understand how it doesn't register with her. She is aware that I don't take any medication at the moment, but unfortunately, I think that probably translates to her as me being super well.

science can do so many amazing things, but unless I'm allowed to have a gigantic UV wall in here, I can't think of any other way to help myself at the moment!

The non-stop rain 😩. The oppressively grey 😫. Like many of you, my coping strategies are not working at the moment. I feel so, so tired and low and just want to hide away. I have been on antidepressants for a few months no and if I weren't, I dread to think what my mood/mental state would be. Sending sunny thoughts and hugs of strength and solidarity to you all.

And I'll probably go to bed soon with tea and cake. I'm reading a chick-lit novel set in sunny Greece. Got to get whatever 2nd/3rd/4th hand sun that I can.

We actually had a nice day yesterday, it was sunny and the temperature actually reached double figures. Ok, 10° but still 🤣. It is of course pouring down and grey again today 😭.

@EmeraldRoulette how are you doing today lovely?

People definitely like to tell themselves whatever they want to believe. Like at work I'm told how well I am doing (after a bit of a very big hiatus last year) and I'm like - but I feel like poo and that I am drowning most of the time. But because I come across ok in meetings with people I don't want to share my personal stuff with well she must be managing and doing really well.

I'm definitely trying to be more honest with those I am closest to. It's very hard though as an expert masker.

I woke with a slight spring in my step / mind because I'm actually still lying in bed. It's not raining yet but it won't be long. I think it's the lighter mornings that made me feel a little lighter this morning. Plus where I am in my cycle. And knowing the house is quiet today. And probably the state of the moon as well or something.

Hey all.
After a bit of advice re Sertraline.
i had to visit doc again today as went into total meltdown mode. I woke up 9 times during the night, and on top of my usual churning stomach, nausea, feeling of doom, jelly legs etc, I also have a tight chest, headache and ache all over.
Anyway, doc prescribed a sleeping pill and said to up the dose of sertraline from 50mg to 100mg. What I’d like to know is - is it ok to go straight to 100mg or halve a tablet and do 75mg for a few days or so? I just don’t want to make myself feel worse (if that’s even possible) 😔
Thank you

@Jataz5 sorry to hear that

Can't help on the sertraline, I'm afraid

@mrsdiddlydoo thank you for asking, I appreciate that

I'm not sure how I feel. It was such hard work to get anything done today. I am going to do my evening workout. I did sign up for another month - because actually if I hadn't paid for it, at the moment there's a chance I won't do any exercise at all - so I thought I better just pay for Feb, and it's the easiest option available to me at the moment.

Hi @Jataz5 it is OK to go straight to 100, but if it feels too much you can do a step up at a time. I can't remember if you mentioned on here before whether you suffer with side effects when changing doses. It's all pretty standard for most people to feel a bit off when changing doses of sertraline.
There's no right or wrong way to do it. I've done it both ways. Last year when I increased my dose I just went for it between 50 and 100g because I was pretty desperate to be able to function. It meant a week of nausea and feeling off on the sofa, but I like to think it got me to where I needed to be quicker. On other occasions I have crept up In 25 mg increments because that's all I could manage. Taking it on a full stomach (after or with breakfast) works best for me atm.

Good luck and I hope it helps to do the trick. Be kind to yourself. One day at a time. X

@Jataz5 I’ve gone up from 50mg to 100mg twice and one thing I’d really caution you on is the first time, I didn’t come back down in spring and had a full blown hypomanic episode, which was not fun. The second time, I went up to 75mg then 100mg and all it did was cause more and more brain fog, so now I’m on fluoxetine.

Thank you. I went with the 75 for a couple of days and I’ll do 100 tomorrow. Feel rubbish anyway so….🤷‍♀️

@Jataz5 how did you get on with 100mg?

It’s hard to tell as already feeling very down mentally but also have a chesty cough and very achey . Just have to persevere and hope I start to feel better 🤞

@Jataz5 I started on 50 and felt dreadful immediately. I then went on 25 for a week, alternate 25 and 50 for the next week and then up to 50. I was / have been fine with that. I hope you feel better on your dose soon.

OMG it’s sunny 😵😵😵. We’ve just had and hour and a half on the beach with the puppy and it fed my soul a little!

@Jataz5 I hope it works for you eventually!

I feel better than I have in ages due to the lovely sun today!

Fabulous to see the sun today, we did a walk on the Cotswold hills. I was really tired because dh is struggling with sleep and often wakes me up then I’m awake for hours! But the sun gave me some energy. Going out to a pub for a roast tomorrow, I’ve decided I have to start planning nice things to get me through.

It’s sunny here today and the sun last Saturday was lovely.

I felt a shift last week and could kind of feel my self esteem again if that makes sense (it feels out of reach sometimes in winter).

But this week I feel anxious and tearful 🥹. My husband is away for the week with work and I find that destabilising.

I know I usually feel stronger as Spring comes but it’s so tough being visited by such vulnerability and sadness.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else feel this way. Apparently something is in the air with the Chinese new year!

xxx

Lovely to see the sun, did an early walk with the dog, less muddy as there was frost on the ground first thing. I’m meeting a friend for coffee later which always lifts my spirits a bit. But I know by early evening my mood will drop again. I wish we could have some consistent dry sunny weather for a at least a week!