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Start here => What's your crime? Basic Discussion => Topic started by: El on February 20, 2007, 03:28:24 PM

Title: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: El on February 20, 2007, 03:28:24 PM
I'm thinking of this now because I feel kinda funny right now and I think this is why.  I have symptoms of seasonal affect disorder; it's not generally severe enough to dx but I defintely feel icky during winter when it gets dark early.  Sometimes I'll feel almost faint, but that's only at the absolute darkest days of the winter.  Anyway, I've found I can perk myself up quite a bit by turning on every light in the room.  (There are three, one bulb each, in my living room, where I usually am while awake)/  I know it's wasteful, but it saves money on antidepressants!    Has anyone else done this/tried this?  I thought I'd mention it because it's kind of helpful and an easy fix, "wasteful" or no.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Callaway on February 24, 2007, 11:32:36 AM
If it makes you feel better, then that's good.  I think most people who have this who can't go outside more for some reason are helped by a light box, which puts a great deal more light than three ordinary light bulbs would do.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Callaway on February 24, 2007, 11:33:22 AM
If you are interested, I could find more information about light boxes.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: El on February 24, 2007, 11:46:01 AM
Thanks, but that's OK.  The three light bulbs, amazingly, do the trick.  Like I said, it's not really bad, but there's some definite discomfort if I'm in constant dim light starting before 6pm or so (approx).  I'm greatly looking forward to switching my clocks in March so that I get more daylight.  :)
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Callaway on February 24, 2007, 11:56:12 AM
They are switching them three weeks early this year, which is strange to me.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: El on February 24, 2007, 12:00:10 PM
They are switching them three weeks early this year, which is strange to me.

I never remember dates, so it's not as strange to me, but I remember when I heard they were going to do that I was quite gung-ho.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: ozymandias on February 24, 2007, 12:04:24 PM
They make full spectrum light bulbs, both compact Flourescent and regular.  We have the compact flourescents in just about every lamp in the house where we spend the most time.  I recommend the compact flourescent, they are expensive, but last longer and they use less power.  You can also get the brightest kind because they will fit power wise into lamps that can only take a 60 watt bulb.  WalMart has a whole section of them.  I'm also sure Home Despot and Lowes or a walmart competitor will carry them.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Callaway on February 24, 2007, 12:08:51 PM
Are the compact fluorescents full spectrum bulbs?  I have difficulty fitting them into the globes of some of my ceiling lights.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: ozymandias on February 24, 2007, 12:25:48 PM
Are the compact fluorescents full spectrum bulbs?  I have difficulty fitting them into the globes of some of my ceiling lights.

Yes, the ones that I buy, unfortunately some lamps will not accomodate them, because they are built for Incandescent bulbs.  We do have compact flourescent bulbs regular in the globes that will accomodate them.  But, if you cover the bulbs up you won't get the full spectrum effect.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: duncvis on February 24, 2007, 05:12:51 PM
Interesting, I didn't know compact fluorescents were full spectrum - I definitely get SAD, but I don't think the lighting has helped me much. SSRIs have though, and by the time we are getting 10+ hours of daylight again the worst is over.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: ozymandias on February 24, 2007, 06:15:00 PM
Interesting, I didn't know compact fluorescents were full spectrum - I definitely get SAD, but I don't think the lighting has helped me much. SSRIs have though, and by the time we are getting 10+ hours of daylight again the worst is over.

Yes, they are, but, they have to be labelled as such.  Not all compact flourescents are full spectrum.  We've been using them now for a year and there is a difference between full spectrum compacts and regular compacts.  The light is a lot easier to read by and nice to have right by the computer as I'm typing this right now.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: renaeden on February 24, 2007, 10:25:22 PM
I get depressed in the middle of summer, daylight savings and all.
So, I'm sorry, I am no help here.
This subject is fascinating though.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: purposefulinsanity on February 25, 2007, 05:19:08 AM
Interesting, I didn't know compact fluorescents were full spectrum - I definitely get SAD, but I don't think the lighting has helped me much. SSRIs have though, and by the time we are getting 10+ hours of daylight again the worst is over.

Are compact fluorescents the ones we call energy saving bulbs over here?
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: ozymandias on February 25, 2007, 06:32:22 AM
Interesting, I didn't know compact fluorescents were full spectrum - I definitely get SAD, but I don't think the lighting has helped me much. SSRIs have though, and by the time we are getting 10+ hours of daylight again the worst is over.

Are compact fluorescents the ones we call energy saving bulbs over here?

Not sure, but if they look like coiled flourescent bulbs, then I would say they are.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Yuri Bezmenov on October 19, 2014, 04:55:25 PM
I'm thinking of this now because I feel kinda funny right now and I think this is why.  I have symptoms of seasonal affect disorder; it's not generally severe enough to dx but I defintely feel icky during winter when it gets dark early.  Sometimes I'll feel almost faint, but that's only at the absolute darkest days of the winter.  Anyway, I've found I can perk myself up quite a bit by turning on every light in the room.  (There are three, one bulb each, in my living room, where I usually am while awake)/  I know it's wasteful, but it saves money on antidepressants!    Has anyone else done this/tried this?  I thought I'd mention it because it's kind of helpful and an easy fix, "wasteful" or no.

Do you still have this problem?

If so, you might try lying naked on the living room floor with the sun shining on you.

I know it helps me.   :green:
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Jack on October 19, 2014, 06:07:57 PM
I'm thinking of this now because I feel kinda funny right now and I think this is why.  I have symptoms of seasonal affect disorder; it's not generally severe enough to dx but I defintely feel icky during winter when it gets dark early.  Sometimes I'll feel almost faint, but that's only at the absolute darkest days of the winter.  Anyway, I've found I can perk myself up quite a bit by turning on every light in the room.  (There are three, one bulb each, in my living room, where I usually am while awake)/  I know it's wasteful, but it saves money on antidepressants!    Has anyone else done this/tried this?  I thought I'd mention it because it's kind of helpful and an easy fix, "wasteful" or no.

Do you still have this problem?

If so, you might try lying naked on the living room floor with the sun shining on you.

I know it helps me.   :green:
Great mental imagery.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: El on October 21, 2014, 05:44:20 AM
The fact that I was questioning SAD that far back says a lot.  The fatigue has progressed in some ways, and in others it's gotten better since the celiac dx and going GF.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: renaeden on October 22, 2014, 09:33:59 PM
Dreading the height of summer.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Calandale on October 22, 2014, 09:51:29 PM
Booze helps me. That and swimming.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Yuri Bezmenov on October 22, 2014, 10:47:58 PM
The fact that I was questioning SAD that far back says a lot.  The fatigue has progressed in some ways, and in others it's gotten better since the celiac dx and going GF.

I thought that the gluten free hypothesis was junk science.    :dunno:
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: El on October 26, 2014, 10:52:21 AM
The fact that I was questioning SAD that far back says a lot.  The fatigue has progressed in some ways, and in others it's gotten better since the celiac dx and going GF.

I thought that the gluten free hypothesis was junk science.    :dunno:
It is... unless you actually have celiac.  Bloodwork and endoscopy confirmed, in my case.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: Yuri Bezmenov on October 26, 2014, 11:20:48 AM
The fact that I was questioning SAD that far back says a lot.  The fatigue has progressed in some ways, and in others it's gotten better since the celiac dx and going GF.

I thought that the gluten free hypothesis was junk science.    :dunno:
It is... unless you actually have celiac.  Bloodwork and endoscopy confirmed, in my case.

Oh, didn't realize gluten sensitivity was a symptom.

For the general population though, gluten free was a "health" trend that turned out to not be backed by evidence AFAIK.
Title: Re: Helping Minor Seasonal Affect
Post by: El on October 27, 2014, 06:01:09 AM
The fact that I was questioning SAD that far back says a lot.  The fatigue has progressed in some ways, and in others it's gotten better since the celiac dx and going GF.

I thought that the gluten free hypothesis was junk science.    :dunno:
It is... unless you actually have celiac.  Bloodwork and endoscopy confirmed, in my case.

Oh, didn't realize gluten sensitivity was a symptom.

For the general population though, gluten free was a "health" trend that turned out to not be backed by evidence AFAIK.
Of celiac?  O_o  In the simplest possible terms, celiac is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten (specifically) causes my body to flip the fuck out when I eat it.

And I agree, the health trend is generally fucking ridiculous, and people who have no medical reason to do so lose weight and feel better cutting out gluten largely because that involves them cutting out a lot of crappy food in general, and also involves paying attention to what they're eating.  That said, it's a very convenient stupid health trend for me; if I'd been diagnosed ten or even five years earlier than I was, finding food I could eat would have been much harder (albiet feeling better sooner would have been worth it).