https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditi...order-sad/


Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)  

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that usually happens in the winter. Treatments include antidepressants, talking therapies and light therapy.

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Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

The main symptom of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is depression that happens in the winter and goes away in the summer.
Some people have depression symptoms in summer instead, but this is less common.

Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include:

• low mood
  
• a lack of interest in things you usually enjoy
  
• feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
  
• feeling restless or irritable
  
• difficulty concentrating
  
• being more hungry and eating more than usual
  
• being more tired and sleeping more than usual
  
• thoughts of suicide or self-harm
  

• you think you might have seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  
• you’ve been diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder and treatment is not helping
  

• antidepressants
  
• talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  
• light therapy
  

• get as much natural daylight as you can – try to go outside in the daytime every day
  
• get regular exercise
  
• stay in contact with friends and family
  
• keep up with your usual activities
  
• try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
  

• do not drink too much alcohol or use illegal drugs
  
• do not use electronic devices, such as smartphones, right before going to bed
  

• Tips for coping with seasonal affective disorder (Mind)
  

• How to find a support group (Mind)
  
  

• How to help someone with seasonal affective disorder (Mind)
  
• Caring for someone else's mental health (Rethink Mental Illness)
  

• Seasonal affective disorder (Mind)
  
• Mental health advice and information service (Rethink Mental Illness)
  

Rick and I were interviewed on This Morning in April 2009 after an article appeared in the Darly Mirror.  It was nerve wracking but we had a great time as well. 

This Morning - Reunited with Adopted Son (Part 1 of 2)

This Morning - Reunited with Adopted Son (Part 2 of 2)

The roots of my depression start from my early teens and soon after my sister was pressured into aborting her baby when she was 15.  Whatever I did was never good enough, I was moody, I was compared with my sister who was 'perfect' and clever, I was a liar, you name it I got it chucked at me.  It was such a stupid situation that I tested out a theory that if I lied to my parents they would believe me but if I was honest I would be accused of lying.  Sadly my theory proved right hence the reason I constantly got accused of lying.

What made my depression severe was being bullied and lied into my son being adopted in 1981.  I fell pregnant when I was 19 years old and worked for the civil service  at the end of a bad relationship.  I kept quiet long enough not to be pressured into my son being aborted but when my parents found out they decided my baby was being adopted no matter what.   I refused to agree to this so refused to discuss the matter.  My parents arranged everything so the first time I saw anybody from the adoption agency was on the  he was born and I still refused to agree to him being adopted.  Not once did I agree to him being adopted, I didn't know my rights, I didn't see the paper work and I didn't sign anything yet the adoption still went through.  I didn't even know I couldn't consent to surrender until my son was 6 weeks old.  Just on the grounds that his father was never spoken to made his adoption illegal.  It took 23 years and reunion for me to find out the extent of the lies.

Adoption is the most painful experience I have ever gone through and it is an invisible amputation.  It is gut wrenching painful and I have never got over it.  I believed I was going mad as I was expected to get on with my life and forget about my son.  Yet I was hurting inside and the pain was a real pain but nobody would have believed me if I tried to explain it.  For many years I went through a cycle of self harming and trying to commit suicide by overdosing.  I would use knives and scissors to cut myself, usually round my stomach, sometimes my arms so nobody would ask questions.  The suicide attempts obviously didn't work although I did end up in hospital overnight and on a heart monitor back in 1998.  That was one of the scariest nights of my life and when I hear of people who have near death experiences I believe them as I went through that on that night.

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https://www.haveigotaproblem.com/downloa...p-Exercise

Self-Help Exercise

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Exercise is one of the best natural remedies for depression. It has a way of complimenting, and even boosting the effects of the other  techniques that help remedy depression.
 
The benefits of exercise for depression are:

• Interrupt The Body’s Response to Depression. Exercise fills the body with energy, effectively interrupting the depressed hunchback syndrome, the sleepiness, the low energy levels, and other debilitating depression symptoms.
  
• Cleanse The Body. Exercise increases blood flow cleaning out all the stress toxins that help trigger depression.
  
• Improve Mindfulness. Exercise makes the body feel stronger and healthier. Since the body connects to the mind, the effect is an increased ability to practice and achieve mindfulness and meditation skills.
  
• Enhance Meditation. Exercise strengthens the respiratory system regulating and helping you control your breathing. Your breaths become more controlled, deeper, and stronger. Breathing is a principal element of meditation.
  
• Support Nutrition. Fitness regulates the body's metabolism. When you exercise, your body craves healthy food, but you have to ensure you feed yourself lots of healthy, nutrient-rich food, for a new healthy body. In particular, eat lots of fruits and vegetables to feed and help your mind and body.
  
• Improve Restful Sleep. Exercise is a great sleep regulator. You’ll feel much more prone to sleep during bed time.
  
• NOTE: Try not to exercise just before bedtime. This may have the opposite effect, and keep you up
  

https://www.mind.org.uk/

About us

Through our helplines, resources and network of local Minds, we provide life-saving support, while campaigning to improve services.

Hi and Welcome to the Depression Forums!  This purely a safe haven for people suffering with depression who need to be listened too.  We are also here to encourage members to seek medical help / crisis team if we are concerned.