I definately struggle most in the winter months. When I left CA which is far more foggy and cloudy in the winter than AZ, I sent my light box to a friend in CA.
In CA, I would use it every day in the winter after I got it...had to...
And here in AZ, it usually gets sunny within a day after a cloudy day so I just wait and go outside the next day.
I will start taking my vitamin D again...Judy...after I read your comment...
What I don't understand is my weight! I have 30 extra pounds on me and this is weird...I need to get a blood test again re: thyroid.
I know the stress has been beyond belief...could be that? Not sure...plus, I feel pretty unsupported during the winter...since many of my friends and family I think also get SAD to some extent and it seems are just in bad moods...like me...and it seems there is less love going around...many are struggling with the winter...I love the snow and rain, but my moods are generally much better in the sun..
Hey Marishka
yeah the winter months can be a more depressing time in general for a lot of people.
I don't think you are alone in weight gain. At a certain age...our metabolism changes I am finding out. It seems so much harder to lose weight and keep it off. As a teen I was too skinny. I definitely don't have that problem now. :>)
But you are wise in maybe getting things checked out to make sure your weight gain isn't a symptom of something else.
Good to see you. Hope all is going well for you.
I have seasonal affective disorder during Oct thru about Feb/Mar. It is at its worst Oct - Dec. My SAD was very out-of-control for a very long time. Nowadays it is very manageable owing to an integrative approach that I took several years ago. My life is so much better.
I speak to this topic in my post, My Life After Weight-Loss Surgery is Wonderful: http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/276918/142536/bariatric-weight In the post, I share that I expect many of my obesity-related illnesses would be resolved with the weight loss surgery. But what I did not expect was that my depression would be lifted.
I still take an antidepressant but I never sink down to the levels of despair that I once felt on a regular basis when I was obese and on several medications for my depression. I haven't seen a therapist or psychiatrist in years.
Among other lifestyle changes that I've made are mild exercise, meditation, taking vit. D3, getting plenty of sunlight (I even had my office at work moved to a large window). These all help to keep my depression at bay, more than just using medication alone did.
I wrote a series of posts on the meditation. If you'd like to read it, start with: My Experience with Mindfulness Meditation http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/276918/144270/mindfulness
I hope this helps! MBL
Absolutely! The links to your posts are great. Can't wait to read about your experiences.
There are many people on our site who are dealing with both depression and weight issues. Sharing your story is going to be very helpful to our members.
Thank you so much for stopping by. And I am eager to read more of your posts about your journey.
MM
Just wanted to add:
I just started using StumbleUpon where you can share your favorite sites and posts. I put your 21-day challenge on there and you are kicking some serious butt. People are definitely interested in hearing about your journey.
Here is my stumbleupon page so you can see for yourself.
I am especially inspired by your story because I lost a dear friend some years ago due to his obesity. He was scheduled to have the bariatric surgery and he didn't live long enough to get it. I am thinking that in some cases this surgery is a life-saver.
Some people writing on health topics...myself included depending on the topic...are writing from the third hand perspective...putting together a bunch of facts but...nothing takes the place of the personal experience story of someone who is actually going through this. Sure...I can read about this surgery from a text book or a cut and dry health post. Yes we do need the facts and the clinical education but...those types of articles don't inspire me. But you do.
You are helping people, you are genuine...and it is refreshing.
Keep doing what you are doing...we are rooting you on!
Thank you, as always, for your encouragement and coaching. I went to your link and tried to follow you (a number of times) but the site seems to be having some problems and is not allowing me to do so.
I did create an account a few days ago and began stumbling my shareposts, per your good advice. I am amazed at the number of views many of them are pulling. It feels good to know that there are people out there reading what I am writing. Thank you for the very good advice!
I have to say it is an annoying tool to use, and I am very web-savvy. I'll get the hang of it over time. I may experiement with Delicious, Reddit, and Pinterest to see how they drive readership, if at all.
I wonder about the correlation between obesity and depression... and I wonder if one generally precipitates the other. For me, it is hard to tell which came first, my obesity or my depression/anxiety/whatever. I know as a child I had seperation issues and anxiety at a very young age. It wasn't long after taht, that my weight ballooned. In my teens I developed depression, but there was something underlying this at an early age, I think.
Well, supper is calling... have a wonderful night, and thank you, again.
You are very welcome!
Let me see what I can do to make it easier for you to find me there. I am not sure what is up with that.
Depression and weight change in general seem to go hand in hand. Maybe sometime we can do an interview with you so you can talk about the emotional issues involved with losing weight and how it has affected your mental health.
Thanks so much for your comment...it is good to see you.
MM
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I'm not really sure if my depression is particularly seasonal because it can appear any time, but my chiropractor suggested I take 5,000 mg. per day of Vitamin D3 and I felt a little boost almost right away. The sun is out so seldom here in the winter, she said most people could use it from October through April, so that's what I'm doing. It sounded like a lot, but I've heard of others who have been so deficient in it that they've taken a lot more than that. It's probably worth a try.
Hey Judy
Are you taking the Vitamin D every day?
I am taking mine twice a week...but at an even higher dose. My Vitamin D level was an 8 and the normal level is 30-100. yikes!
Not noticing anything so far but...it may be too early to tell...only two weeks into it.
I am pretty much a vampire. lol I stay out of the sun.
Thanks for sharing. Let us know how the vitamin D continues to work for you.
My endocrinologist told me that most of the population is deficient in D3 and that we should take it every day all year long. I take 1000mg 2x/day.