S.a.d (Depression in the winter months)

Depression
#1

Okay....so as some of may know, Im an aussie currently living in Canada.  I feel like I have been hauling butt, trying to get 'well' over the past 8 months that I have been severely depressed.  I started taking medication for anxiety and depression. I have just completed 4 months of counselling, I joined the gym and the library and read lots of books to help me fully understand what I was dealing with. I have tried to keep communicating with my family and friends back home and have faced my fears many times here by making myself go out to places and socialise etc etc. AND of course, I have spent a lot of time here at Careplace, where I have felt total acceptance, understanding and pure love. Thanks by the way!

SO the last 2 months I have felt stronger and more stable than I have in about 3 years...positive, hopeful, restored. But in the last 3 weeks, things have started to take a nose dive again.  Now a bit of it is 'normal' stuff like the fact that Im a young mommy with 3 kids under three, a young hubby who is still trying to distance himself from his old single mates who like to stay out till 3am every weekend, financial constraints, the fact that I am living with the in-laws (one who is an alcoholic...a whole other story) etc etc.  BUT the one thing that seems to be getting to me more than anything is the weather.

I have just experienced 6 months of winter - snow, sleet, ice storms and constant rain/grey skies and I feel like I just cant take it anymore.  Like I hate it, it makes me angry and I feel stupid for lettin the weather affect my every day mood so much...I know it is sily but I have never experienced anything like this. Im used to 3 months of winter where it is mainly sunny with a low temp of about 10 degrees celcius...this winter has ranged from highs of about 7 to lows of minus 30!!

The thing is that tomorrow Im meeting my psychiatrist for the final time and we are supposed to be making a plan to start weaning me off the meds.

Im so sorry for waffling but my questions are:

Do you think that 3 weeks of being low constitutes a mere glitch or that maybe my depression is back?

Also - does anyone have experience with coming off effexor and any suggestions?

AND - I have been advised to get a 'light box' for next winter. Does anyone have one, what do you do with it and are they expensive and/or effective??

Thanks if you managed to read this far and if you did, pls reply because I really need some help right now :)

#2

Hi poppy, glad your feeling abit better, wish I could send you our weather. Be good to yourself. x

#3

SISSY, GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!!!

#4

POPPY, I  HAVE A LIGHT BOX ANS I MUST TELL YOU THAT IT DOES WORK. GROWING UP IN NEW ENGLAND I HATED THE WINTER. IT WOULD GET DARK AROUND 4 EVERYNIGHT. THE DAYS WERE GREY AND USUALLY NO SUNLIGHT.  SO I RELIED ON MINE  HEAVILY!! RESERCH LIGHT BOXES FOR THE BEST DEAL, THEY CAN BE SOMEWHAT EXSPENSIVE. GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND!

#5

How much do these "light boxes" cost and where would I find one?

My advice to you Poppy, is wean off the Effexor SLOWLY.... I remember good things about being on it but miserable things about stopping or missing a day... be careful.

You have come so far,,, you are an inspiration to me...

Lots and lots of love to you!

Sue

#6

Hi poppy, ok here's what I think. You should definately tell your shrink (cannot spell pysc????) how your feeling and maybe stay on your meds until it's sorted.   It must be a complete shock to the system to be stuck in Winter for so long, you are right to arm yourself with as much as you can to beat it. 

I'm on effexor and have been for about 7 1/2 years now.  I have tried to come off them a couple of times but felt tearful and sicky.  Also had blurred vision and dizzyness.  This being said I have only done about 14 hours off them so have no idea how long these syptoms would last.  Had no trouble cutting down the dose, which I did over about six months. My Doctor says this is fairly common but in order to minimise syptoms it would be better to continue to drop the dose but they don't do them in a smaller dose here.  He thought that a liqid effexor was available in America. Hope this helps.

Be good to youself. x

#7

Kaydi, Sue n Plum

Thanks! 

I had a bit of a meltdown last nite - told hubby that I was still struggling.  After talking with him n crying for about an hour, I felt a lot better. Like nothing has changed but I feel a bit less burdened. I guess I just tend to let things build up with the "Im ok" face instead of just talkin straight away.

Im off to chat with a really old guy who wears a cardigan and looks over his glasses at me....seriously, he makes me nervous.

Kisses n hugs to my girls xxx 

#8

SUE, GO ONTO THE INTERNET AND  DO A SERCH ON SEASONAL AFFECT DISORDER. FOLLOW THE LINK TO LIGHT BOXES. IT SHOULD HELP

#9

KAYDENCE, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT, NO FAIR…BUT GOOD ADVISE…

#10

I just found out from my psych yesterday that some places let you hire light boxes which sounds like a grt idea as they apparently work for some people but not everyone.  I was told to try Shoppers DrugMart or Phrma Plus (not sure if you have them in the states??) or health stores....oh and they cost between 1-300 dollars.

Im for sure gettin one for next winter

#11

hope these things are working for you poppy, let us know your progress with the effexor…

#12

Well after talkin with my psych. I guess I succumbed to his reasoning that I wasnt quite out of the woods yet.  So I am going to stay on them for another 5-6 months but I have reduced my dose to just 75mg...Had a few spin out days but Im feelin ok now and its going to save me a lot of cash!

 

#13

HI POPPY,I WAS CONCERNED WHEN YOUR PHYSC WAS GOING TO TAKE OR WEAN YOU OFF. I THINK UNTIL THINGS AT HOME ARE A LITTLE BETTER YOU NEED TO BE ON IT.  I JUST EM KAYDENCE I FEEL LIKE I’M HAVING A MELT DOWN. I TOO, HAVE BEEN DOING WELL. I SEE MY DOC THURS. HOPE THINGS GET BETTER. THIS REALLY SUCKS. LOL  SAMMI~

#14

Thanks Plum n Sammi.  It was me that wanted to wean off altogether - just dont like puttin chemicals into my body for so long but I guess another 5-6 mnths is not too bad. 

Sammi - hope ur appt goes well.  Plum....I think we are gettin some sunshine this weekend...fingers n toes crossed xxxx

#15

I’m just impressed that all of you have the guts to go and get the help you need…i was talking to a friend this morning about things and she suggested I should go and get something…Oh I can’t…that would just ruin this facade that i have everything so together and under control…boy do i wish i really did…what would i do without all my friends here on this site to keep me going???   

#16

Mommy... no one has it all under control.  I know we like to pretend though hey!  If you dont feel up to taking meds, what about counselling?  I know the drug companies like to tell us that we NEED anti-depressants but do you know that research indicates that counselling alone is just as effective? 

If your friend made an observation like that, then maybe some further support or help is really needed?  You gotta take care of yourself first you know...

Just a thought xx

 

#17

gone fishing

#18

gone fishing

#19

Thanks Christine. I looked at that site and its kinda funny. I have heard a lot of horror stories about comin off it - one of the reasons that I refused to take a higher dose.  Im goin to do it really slowly and have a plan that my husband can take a bit of time of work if I need to take it easy....the dizzy spells are pretty bad - just lucky I dont drive at the mo!