S.a.d.

[Biermann]

AKA Seasonal Affective Disorder, and I think I have it bad. When I went to Fla a few weeks ago, I felt great. I drank, swam, ran around in shorts, ate lots of good food, and generally loved my lot in life. I got back to this frozen wasteland, and somehow I started feeling physically sick, tired, deconditioned, depressed, and plain apathetic about everything.

I guess when you start thinking about the single digit temps, the monochromatic landscape, the short days, overcast skies, lack of birds chirping, and the the fact that you can't get out and do anything for fear of freezing to death, it makes sense.
I mean, seriously, I'm PRETTY sure I saw a Wooly Mammoth uprooting a tree in my woods today. (Its either another ice age, or I was hallucinating because of my condition--I know I wasn't drunk). :cross: It's so frickin' cold out that there aren't even any birds out flying around. NONE. No sparrows, no starlings. No wildlife AT ALL, except for the mammoth.




It really started to hit me that I was suffering from this when I realized that I was brewing WAY faster than I could drink (and I'm not brewing that fast). I'm running out of kegs, and may actually have to start bottling again. (Without S.A.D., I would be outside, holding parties, and definitely drinking more).

Now all I do is sit around, watch tv, eat, sleep, go to work, and yell at the kids.


I thought a "peer counseling thread" could be useful (both for my sanity, and other people currently suffering the onslaught of neo-glaciation and a new ice age).


(The only good thing about this winter, is that it has spurred me to upgrade my brewery to an all indoor, mostly automated and pump-driven system) :rockin:

Please feel free to vent about your own Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms, or just your frustration about winter in general, and the steps you've taken to survive. Lord knows, I need some pointers.

 

[nikkimac1027]

I'll input when summer hits, and its fricken 100 degrees with 100% humidity out here- your running from your car to the building with a gallon of water.

Now all i can do is smile and crack a beer for you hoping your symptoms will subside... Good luck and stay warm!

 

[user 574]

Sounds a lot like me 10 years ago. Then I moved. The cold, although a PITA wasn't what got to me as much as the hanging inside, short days and clouds for weeks on end. I won't even rub it in what the temp was here today.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

I think maybe you need to drink some of that beer you are brewing so fast. Now, I know that most professional counselors would be aghast at what I just said. After all, alcohol is a depressant and all that sh*t, but hey-- as long as you're not an alcoholic, wouldn't life be better with a few homebrews in you?

I know what you mean about the cold, though. Maybe we should make a bunch of those global warming scientists come here and live for a few weeks. Every morning when I let the dogs out it seems like it's colder than it was the day before. Every bone and muscle in my body seems to find a way to ache at least once a day. All I know is that next weekend when I get to Florida, if it's not 80 degrees and sunny I'm suing Governor Bush.

 

[nikkimac1027]

It should be good for you mmditter, i almost went to the beach today... i'll keep my finger crossed for you and I that we dont get a cold front, those 60 degrees days are SO cold!

 

[Pumbaa]

replace your light bulbs with those full spectrum ones. They are expensive but the help me. I tend to use 60 watt ones for most of the house but by my computeer and my spot in the living room I go with 100 watts. If it gets REAL bad I even use those giant arse flood light ones people use on plants

 

[Biermann]

It should be good for you mmditter, i almost went to the beach today... i'll keep my finger crossed for you and I that we dont get a cold front, those 60 degrees days are SO cold!

yeah, we had a day on Marco when we were there where the temps got into the 50's. All the natives were running around thinking that a glacier was going to fall on their heads. I, on the other hand, drank a beer, and went swimming.

 

[Biermann]

replace your light bulbs with those full spectrum ones. They are expensive but the help me. I tend to use 60 watt ones for most of the house but by my computeer and my spot in the living room I go with 100 watts. If it gets REAL bad I even use those giant arse flood light ones people use on plants

Not a bad idea. Today the sun was shining, and I went into our family room that has a large picture window and just stood in the sunlight. For a moment, I felt ok. And then that damned mammoth trumpeted in my back yard again. Seriously, that thing is going to kill all my trees. :cross:

 

[Pumbaa]

no worries I'm at work right now and after gettting back from the last 911 call I could swear I saw your mamoth trotting behind the firehouse and across the airport behind the firehouse

 

[SpamDog]

Same here in Northern Vermont.. I count lucky the days when I see Positive Single Digit Temps with windchill we have been going neg alot.. And I agree.. I just can't find the drive to do anything.. atleast you are getting some brewing done.. I can hardly get the energy to play computer games or hardly even get out of bed... I could totally hibernate thru the winter..
Repeat after me.. This Too Shall Pass!

SpamDog

 

[Biermann]

no worries I'm at work right now and after gettting back from the last 911 call I could swear I saw your mamoth trotting behind the firehouse and across the airport behind the firehouse

f'ing mammoths.

So, Pumbaa, you a firefighter/EMT then?? I'm the project medical director for the PAEMS System, which is the largest EMS System in IL.

Cheers to you !! And if you see that damned mammoth again, dart him or something. . .

 

[nikkimac1027]

yeah, we had a day on Marco when we were there where the temps got into the 50's. All the natives were running around thinking that a glacier was going to fall on their heads. I, on the other hand, drank a beer, and went swimming.

ohh 50's i'm bundled up in my cold weather gear, shivering. at that moment i am pathetic, i'll swear to you that i am about to hype out.

 

[SpamDog]

f'ing mammoths.

Yeah... they are always up to no good.

SpamDog

 

[Biermann]

Now, the ice age mammal you REALLY have to look out for are ground sloths. Those bastards are never up to any good.

 

[Biermann]

ohh 50's i'm bundled up in my cold weather gear, shivering. at that moment i am pathetic, i'll swear to you that i am about to hype out.

I would nearly kill for 50's weather at the moment. In fact, I'd pay for a day of 50's. The other day when I drove to work, it was -3. NEGATIVE 3. And that was without windchill. With the windchill it was -13.

 

[SpamDog]

I am a sabertooth squirrel fan myself..

50's would be great.. we have had about the same temps as you recently Biermann I don't know how much of it I can take anymore

SpamDog

 

[Biermann]

I am a sabertooth squirrel fan myself..

50's would be great.. we have had about the same temps as you recently Biermann I don't know how much of it I can take anymore

SpamDog

I tell you, I'm going f'ing insane. I'm only half kidding about the mammoth. I'm either hallucinating, or that sucker actually exists.

Today, SWMBO worked, and I was home all day with the kids. Its too cold to go out and play, so they beat up each other all day and did their hardest to piss me off, and tear the house up every waking moment of the day. I handed out about a dozen time outs. At least my folks drove up for the afternoon, and at least I then had some adult company.

The wife is still not home, kids are now in bed finally, but I have to get up at 0600 to go to work. Hopefully it is sunny tomorrow, at least, so my mood improves somewhat before I get to work. I've seriously thought about going and sitting in a tanning booth or something just so I can get some UV light. My skin is turning translucent due to the lack of sunlight.

 

[Pumbaa]

f'ing mammoths.

So, Pumbaa, you a firefighter/EMT then?? I'm the project medical director for the PAEMS System, which is the largest EMS System in IL.

Cheers to you !! And if you see that damned mammoth again, dart him or something. . .

Yeah I'm a firefighter paramedic for the City of Milwaukee, just got promoted to LT about 6 months prior so back on the med rig again hating life.

BTW whats the PA part stand for?

and Nikkimac see this thread for a hint of what happens when you complain about the 50's when I'm freezing me arse off

Yesterday was the first day in the last 10 where we didnt go below zero and they arent even talking about hitting 20 until late next week

 

[nikkimac1027]

Alright Pumbaa- i read all that. damn that's fricken cold. i cant imagine- honestly. i guess i cant complain too much. i'll take my 60-70s when ya'll are having armageddon up there!

 

[Pumbaa]

check this out. I'm not sure how common it is but I wouldnt be shocked if it affected more people then those that know about it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder

 

[Pumbaa]

Meds are for EXTREAM cases, like I said some fullspectrum light bulbs help me out a ton. the way I can tell when it starts getting to me is I just dont feel like doing anything at all . . . dont want to cook, brew, eat, drink, go to work, fart around online, ANYTHING. Normally for me by about April when it breaks 40 and I can throw on some shorts and head outside again without worrying about shrinkage things get better.

 

[Ize]

I'm not even going to compare the temps here to what you guys get up there in WI, but I'm only a little over an hour south of Biermann, and let me tell you, this SUCKS. Normally we get really cold for a few days, then it bounces around in the 20's. Not this crap. This negative/single digit crap at night, highs only into the low teens during the day nonsense has been hanging around for going on 3 weeks and it's OLD.

The worse part is, it's supposed to warm up to around 30 tomorrow. Great right? Wrong. It's bringing more of the "white crap" as I so affectionately call it, on Monday, and then it's right back into the deep freeze. And if I hate anything worse than the cold it's piles and layers of the white crap hanging around.

I just get stir crazy. I spend a lot more time in the basement because I can't go outside. I keep finding things to keep myself busy with, but it sure isn't helping my mood.

Ize

 

[Brewnurse]

Bierman, let me begin by saying that I may be on the extreme end of the spectrum, but I have SAD and even a few other things....hummmm. Well, anyway, I now live in Cali and it's been a little better out here. At least the temp don't get real low , but it is cloudy and rainy. When I live in the bronx, it was a different story. In the winters , especially when cold and dark a lot, I would get real depressed and sleep for hours on end. It would not be uncommon for me to sleep 12-14 hours wake up eat and go back to sleep for another 8-10 hours. I would loose a few days a week like that. And the less you did and more you sleep the worse it gets. It would actually trigger off a severe depression right around the holidays, but that another thread.......
What helped me alot was moving to Hawaii! Now that is a place to live in the winter. the weather pattern stays steady for many months and I would exercise and get outside in the sun everyday. And I even work nights! So, I can say for sure that there is such a thing and it is pretty bad for some people , ,you just have to figure out what works best for you and do it. I know that for me Alcohol is a big NO NO when I get real bad. I usually turn to food. that may explain the extra 20lbs I have?
I too like the light idea , i have never had one but i hear they work. I have heard of people getting a tanning bed just for the light therapy. I hope you find yourself in better spirits soon, and maybe invite the mammoth over for a drink!

 

[Biermann]

I know that for me Alcohol is a big NO NO when I get real bad. I usually turn to food. that may explain the extra 20lbs I have?
I too like the light idea , i have never had one but i hear they work. I have heard of people getting a tanning bed just for the light therapy. I hope you find yourself in better spirits soon, and maybe invite the mammoth over for a drink!

I don't even have the energy to drink. I find myself dreading work. I, like Ize, have been trying to find busy-work to keep out of this. My wife and I usually get in the habit of going south at least once per winter, but that trip has already happened. Last year, I went to Fla for a week, came home, rested for a day, and went to Tucson for another week, all right in the dead of winter--let me tell you, that did wonders for me. This year has been exceptionally bad on me. I don't think my wife sees it, but it's really got me. Even though I spent most of the day yelling at the kids yesterday, I found myself depressed when they had to go to bed, since I had nothing to do. That's pretty pathetic. I tried drinking one of my draft hefeweizens, and ended up throwing it out--now that's mental illness.

 

[Biermann]

BTW whats the PA part stand for?

Peoria Area EMS (PAEMS). http://www.paems.org

 

[ill.literate]

Well, what the heck I'll chime in.

I've got a clinical, low-grade depression, but I believe its made worse by S.A.D. Usually around the time of my birthday (last week) I'm dang near close to miserable. It's usually about that time when I want to pack up some camping gear, tell my boss to screw off and head south for a week, anywhere, in the woods where it's warmer.

This winter, I feared it would be worse. Getting a divorce, dealing with seeing my kids less, stress about money, etc... and I was right, it did get worse.

I'd been off meds (or that 'junk' as it was referred to earlier in the thread ) for some time, and didn't really relish the thought of going back on them. My last experience on SSRIs (Paxil to be specific) was bad. So after much thought, much discussion with Shimms (she saved my life) and talking to my doctor about it, I went back on meds, this time on Cymbalta. It's made a HUGE difference.

Finding this hobby has been great too.

All that said, I'm still antsy as HELL for Spring to arrive. I'd rather be camping, canoeing, hiking, biking.. ANYTHING as long as it gets me outside and into the sun.

Don't discount meds. For some people, they're extremely helpful.

 

[david_42]

After a month of sun glaring off the snow, it's back to cloudy, drizzly and cool. All reasons I moved to the PNW. [Really, the 70+ microbreweries within a 2 hour radius had nothing to do with my retirement plans.] When the sun is out, I feel like the stool pigeon in one of those old crime movies, I'll do anything to get out of the spotlight. Last summer, we had 89 days of 14-hours of sunshine and I was going nuts.

S.I.C. - Sun-Induced Craziness

 

[jelsas]

I feel for 'ya -- we've recently moved from the south to Pittsburgh, which gets less sunshine than Seattle on average. It really affects SWMBO, which of course affects all of us.

She uses a "goLight" : http://www.apollolight.com/golite.html and it really takes the edge off. I think I've seen them for sale at COSTCO. Not a cure-all, but definitely helps. 20-30 minutes every morning, directly in the face.

From what I've heard, the full-spectrum isn't necessary. The primary factors in using these lights to combat SAD is lumens (brightness) and length of exposure, not spectrum.

Good luck.

 

[lefteye]

Originaly wanted to plug bright light just above nad infront of the eyes - for s.a.d.
Now would like to repoert that after over two yrs of clin. depression the sun has come out again and I can actually feel the difference in my own brain chemistry as proof. Tried the drugs and will never do so again.
I had heard it could go away by itself and Lo it has . Taht and the fact that my X lives in Boulder and I live in Key West.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Wow, I just re-read this entire thread and are we some pathetic whiners, or what?

Actually, SWMBO and I were talking about this stuff yesterday as she positively detests winter and probably suffers from a bit of s.a.d. herself.

We concluded that winter is worse for us nowadays with the availability of low airfares. Back in the 60's and 70's when I was growing up only rich people and retired people could ever go anywhere warm in the winter. (The only time I ever went to Florida as a child was in July)!

Winter was something you endured because you had to, and you knew that there was no way out. At least all your friends, neighbors and relatives were pretty much in the same boat.

Now, though, it is possible for many people to get away from it-- if only for a week or 10 days at a time. I think that makes it worse, just knowing that there is a way out. And in those years when it is not possible to go, whether it be for financial or work or school reasons, and other people come back from some exotic tropical vacation, looking happy and fit and sunburned, it makes it pure torture.

Oh, well. Heat wave today. It's already 12 here. Time to put on some shorts and fire up the grill today!