Could you have winter depression?
1> You have trouble at work, making frequent mistakes or taking much longer than usual to finish your projects.
Check!
2> You can't keep up with household chores, and you miss deadlines for paying bills.
Check! I NEVER have late bills, til lately.
3> You need more sleep (sometimes hours more) than usual, have difficulty waking up and still feel tired during the day.
Check!
4> You eat more, crave carbs and sweets, and start to gain weight.
Check! Um... fifteen pounds!
5> You don't have the energy you usually do for your regular activities.
I actually didn't check this, but I'm feeling so sleepy and unmotivated, I'm guessing it MUST be true. CHECK!!
6> You often feel sad and may have crying spells.
I've cried for weeks. Check!
7> You're pessimistic.
Yup. I am anyways, and it's MUCH worse.
8> You have unexplained aches and pains.
Sorry, but no.
9> You've lost interest in sex and other pleasures.
I hate to say it, but yes. Slutty, obsesive, horny assed me is... well... not!
So, with all these "yes" answers, I've found my problem. I have SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Whatever has been happening to me recently just kicked in during fall. It's been grey lately. And I guess I don't like that. Here's my cure, just incase you've got the same thing:
1> stay warm. crank up those heaters, and bundle your naked ass up!
2> get a good night's sleep.
3> Seek out sunlight.
4> brighten up your home.
5> avoid alcohol. (hard to do when all you want to do is drink away your pain)
6> Keep a winter journal.
7> make time for fun.
8> learn to say no. (to family who are hasseling you to do stuff. It's a busy time of year dammit!)
9. Make exercise a priority.
This stuff is actually working. If you feel like shit, try it. I've been wearing so many clothes that I could almost sweat. I've been trying to get sleep, if not at night, then little naps. I've been actually going OUTSIDE during the day. I'm keeping the lights on, on their brightest, in the room I'm in until it's late. I've also put up my christmas tree. It's pretty, and colorful, and lights up a dark corner. How couldn't that make me more happy?!?! I've also been excersizing with a friend. So that takes care of the sunlight, exercise, AND make time for fun parts. Look at me go, I should be cured in no time.
I was really freaking out becuase I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. I haven't been that depressed since I was 16 and wishing I'd get run over by a bus every day. I was scared. I'm also not the scared person type, so that scared me too. We have this phone counseling line at work. I almost called it! If I hadn't found the article about this SAD thing, I probably would have.
Sorry that I've been gone for a long-assed time. I'll check up on your journals, and try to jump back into the mix.
And thanks for the nice little notes.
1> You have trouble at work, making frequent mistakes or taking much longer than usual to finish your projects.
Check!
2> You can't keep up with household chores, and you miss deadlines for paying bills.
Check! I NEVER have late bills, til lately.
3> You need more sleep (sometimes hours more) than usual, have difficulty waking up and still feel tired during the day.
Check!
4> You eat more, crave carbs and sweets, and start to gain weight.
Check! Um... fifteen pounds!
5> You don't have the energy you usually do for your regular activities.
I actually didn't check this, but I'm feeling so sleepy and unmotivated, I'm guessing it MUST be true. CHECK!!
6> You often feel sad and may have crying spells.
I've cried for weeks. Check!
7> You're pessimistic.
Yup. I am anyways, and it's MUCH worse.
8> You have unexplained aches and pains.
Sorry, but no.
9> You've lost interest in sex and other pleasures.
I hate to say it, but yes. Slutty, obsesive, horny assed me is... well... not!
So, with all these "yes" answers, I've found my problem. I have SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Whatever has been happening to me recently just kicked in during fall. It's been grey lately. And I guess I don't like that. Here's my cure, just incase you've got the same thing:
1> stay warm. crank up those heaters, and bundle your naked ass up!
2> get a good night's sleep.
3> Seek out sunlight.
4> brighten up your home.
5> avoid alcohol. (hard to do when all you want to do is drink away your pain)
6> Keep a winter journal.
7> make time for fun.
8> learn to say no. (to family who are hasseling you to do stuff. It's a busy time of year dammit!)
9. Make exercise a priority.
This stuff is actually working. If you feel like shit, try it. I've been wearing so many clothes that I could almost sweat. I've been trying to get sleep, if not at night, then little naps. I've been actually going OUTSIDE during the day. I'm keeping the lights on, on their brightest, in the room I'm in until it's late. I've also put up my christmas tree. It's pretty, and colorful, and lights up a dark corner. How couldn't that make me more happy?!?! I've also been excersizing with a friend. So that takes care of the sunlight, exercise, AND make time for fun parts. Look at me go, I should be cured in no time.
I was really freaking out becuase I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. I haven't been that depressed since I was 16 and wishing I'd get run over by a bus every day. I was scared. I'm also not the scared person type, so that scared me too. We have this phone counseling line at work. I almost called it! If I hadn't found the article about this SAD thing, I probably would have.
Sorry that I've been gone for a long-assed time. I'll check up on your journals, and try to jump back into the mix.
And thanks for the nice little notes.
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
I get depressed a bit during the winter too, if I'm not careful.