How do I … deal with seasonal affective disorder?

[firemonkey]

This weekend marks the point across Europe when autumn becomes early winter and everything suddenly seems darker (most north Americans get an extra week before daylight saving). For most of us, it’s a negligible transition: an extra hour in bed, then lowering skies, a winter hiatus before the year starts again.

But for a small minority, winter exacts a heavy toll. In the UK, about 3% of the population are estimated to suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a debilitating illness which prevents those affected from functioning normally without appropriate treatment. About 20% of people in the UK experience mildly debilitating symptoms of Sad, called “subsyndromal Sad” or “winter blues”.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...ctive-disorder


If anything I experience mild "winter blues "

[firemonkey]

My circadian rhythms ie sleep pattern is seriously messed up . I don't go out much and the shorter days further reduces that as I will seldom go out when it turns dark. Part of that is a degree of fear of the dark and the fact it is harder to navigate my way around.

[WhispPurr]

I much prefer the summer months when there is more daylight.
I often feel more down during Nov-March - most likely because of the season/ darker hours.

[Indigo_]

I think I may suffer from 'winter blues'. Something about waking up and driving to work in the dark, and then driving home in the dark. It just makes my mood drop.

[anxiouslondoner]

Do SAD lamps work? And how many lightbulbs does it take to change a person?

[Oddity]

Curious, how many people here that suffer from SAD (this is why I prefer social phobia to social anxiety disorder, it's too confusing :P) have tried regular high dose of vitamin D3? As in 70-100µg.