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My dd age 11 suffers from SAD. This year it has hit earlier than usual. She usually makes it to January. I brought out the light lamp a couple weeks ago, but it doens't seem to be helping much. She is so irritable and crying over minor things. Her teacher has complained already too. I really am trying to avoid medication for her, but if things don't improve we may have to consider it.
Anyone else having problems with SAD? Any luck with lights, medications or anything else?
Hello Sunflower....what a perfect name for someone seeking the sunshine! Well....I live in Sunny San Diego and also have SAD....although mine is usually lite during the year and more intense by January. I have found taking Vitamin D will cure the sadness. I take 4000 units a day. 2000 would be were I would start...and then move up. The current opinion is not to exceed 10,000. If I stop mine for 36 to 48 hours....I go right back to the depression. It works. Don't know why in San Diego....I don't absorb the sunlight we have plenty of. Someone suggest that Global Warming is also a factor somehow in how our nutrients in the sunlight is reaching us. I don't know...just know that this really works. Let me know if you try it...and how it worked for you. Diana
I can share with anyone afflicted with SAD as I am, the absolute best way that I've found to go, better than the 'light boards' etc ,is to trick out a room of your home with massive Verilux florescent lighting on the ceiling..Like, in rows of 8 ft bulbs every 3-4 ft . And then just go about doing something fun in the room,(hobbies, reading etc) for a few hours every day.
It's a tad expensive initially but CHEAP in elec. used and the bulbs last practically forever .... the light is amazing...the brain and body kind of receives it as instant sunshine and it DOES work!.
I have my studio set up this way and I can paint or sculpt all night long thinking it's daytime, if I'm not careful . I have to use a visor to work,seriously!
I am living in Eugene Oregon and am not happy to be here at all for several reasons which have to do as much with the very clannish introverted social culture as the grayness. But the lights added to my studio have helped considerably with the SAD. And it was instant. I mean almost as soon as you flip the switch you begin to get energized and up.and repeated use seems to clear the SAD. There is something about the light flooding the environment rather than just the light itself. The brain registers the entire environment I think.There IS a psychological component to this .
Also the vitamin D and B vitamins recommended, make a HUGE difference.
Well I've fixed the SAD gray part of living here at least! This helps me keep my sanity, until I'm finished with the series and able to return to the east coast, where extroverts are not punished for ,not playing 24/7 off the PC hand book, which is very strictly enforced here...(wink)
By the way, and off topic somewhat so I apologize, If there is anyone reading here who likes the Eugene laid back thing , and is interested in living in Eugene in a year , and possibly wants to rent this swell "anti SAD" studio in the "green Shire" I've built ,please feel free to contact me. If you live within 10 mi of NYC in a rent controlled place definitely call me! maybe we can work some type of rental swap?
My custom lofted studio is really great , I just absolutely hate living in the "Happy Green Shire".My idea of the "great outdoors" is: that strip of experience between the street door and the museum or cafe' ,usually requiring sunglasses and a confident gate. (chuckle)...and 'camping' means no mint on the pillow.
yea ,don't ask how I ended up in the shire, long boring story, but for sure: I am SO out of place here, and SO gone as soon as series is completed.
Good luck with the SAD and I hope you will try the Verilux, I don't think you will be sorry!
Best Wishes,
Leslie
Moderator cut: no email address allowed. Please DM her
Last edited by Mattie Jo; 12-19-2007 at 05:23 AM..
Reason: off topic
It has been suspected that I have SAD, although I would stop short to say it is diagnosed or 'written' anywhere. I did have two fairly severe episodes in the last 10 years, both were attributed, in hindsight, to light exposure.
For me, the 100% cure is to avoid sleeping in ... even on weekends. If I avoid sleeping in, or sleeping too long, or taking naps in the middle of the day, I am 100% OK. [If I sleep in, etc., there is a 100% chance I will feel depressed].
For this year, I can't say that I've had any problems that I can attribute to the amount of light. My minor feelings of melancholy have had very specific causes, it seems.
I have never really had any problems with SAD. For me, I love the cloudy days. I hate the constant sunshine, that can actually get me down. Summer is an awful time for me.
Hello Sunflower....what a perfect name for someone seeking the sunshine! Well....I live in Sunny San Diego and also have SAD....although mine is usually lite during the year and more intense by January. I have found taking Vitamin D will cure the sadness. I take 4000 units a day. 2000 would be were I would start...and then move up. The current opinion is not to exceed 10,000. If I stop mine for 36 to 48 hours....I go right back to the depression. It works. Don't know why in San Diego....I don't absorb the sunlight we have plenty of. Someone suggest that Global Warming is also a factor somehow in how our nutrients in the sunlight is reaching us. I don't know...just know that this really works. Let me know if you try it...and how it worked for you. Diana
If you take Vitamin D you will need to take Vitamin K1 and K2 along with it because Vitamin D alone can weaken blood vessels, whereas with K they get strengthened. You will need to get full spectrum K until you can find K1 and 2 separately. Anyway, this is what a nutritionist told me to do.
Interesting that it cures SAD. Good to know. While I have never had SAD I began taking D and Ks recently and I just heard on the news that we had 10 days without sun. This is the first time that I have ever had no sun days and not noticed it. It could be that I was just too busy to notice too, but it was strange when the news said this.
I lived in San Diego and I used to complain constantly that there was no sun but a marine layer. I hated it for that reason, so I moved to Valley
Center but the marine layer was there too. You must live in a sunny part of San Diego.
Leslie, due to the rain and lack of sun I never wanted to live in Oregon. I feel for you. I have had some friends move there and love; others left. It sure is green though. I got to move to a very green area that is sunny, east Oklahoma. I am happy here due to having seasons and greenery with sunshine!
My dd age 11 suffers from SAD. This year it has hit earlier than usual. She usually makes it to January. I brought out the light lamp a couple weeks ago, but it doens't seem to be helping much. She is so irritable and crying over minor things. Her teacher has complained already too. I really am trying to avoid medication for her, but if things don't improve we may have to consider it.
Anyone else having problems with SAD? Any luck with lights, medications or anything else?
What kind of teacher complains about something like that? I can understand a teacher mentioning it to you because they are concerned for your daughter's welfare, but complaining?
I am so sorry you have to cope with this. I am curious about SAD, because I think that perhaps I am affected too. For all the searching I've done on the Internet, I've seen where vitamin D is usually the best non-medicinal treatment for SAD, because the vitamin mimicks the increase caused by sunlight exposure.
Good luck
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