Seasonal Affective Disorder Support Group

Seasonal affective disorder, also known as S.A.D., winter depression or the winter blues is an affective, or mood, disorder. Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout most of the year, but experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer. The condition in the summer is often referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal mood...

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Apathy

MaybeICanHelp
MaybeICanHelp
Well, its now late November and we are well into the SAD depression season. I do not really feel sad, but I feel my SAD manifesting as APATHY. I do not have any interest in doing much of anything. I have no motivation to start any project or engage in any constructive activity. Things that I used to enjoy do not have any appeal to me now. I don't have interest in going out with friends or going to see a movie. I don't even have desire to read a book. I don't have motivation to do anything other than the minimum I need to do to get by. I am keeping up with daily chores, but thats about it. While my mood is not all that bad, I do realize that this is not much of a life. Can anyone else relate to this?
deleted_user
deleted_user
I absolutely can relate. I'm not an alcholic but I like their tenet, "One day at a time". When I'm in midst of this, I just have to take it one step at a time. You described the symptoms very well. People say, "keep busy and socialize". Those things are impossible for me right now. Do you get irritated easily? I vascillate between despair and anger.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I hate to tell you guys this, but both of you are DEPRESSED. That is a big symptom of depression. If you're not on meds, you sure need to be. Talk to your doctors about this - you'll feel MUCH better if you get on an antidepressant, even if it's temporary.

I felt like that too when I wasn't on an A/D, but now I'm fine! I thank God there's medications out there for depression. Take care and best of luck. Hugs, Lee
Moirne
Moirne
My depressions are definitely like this. Minor difference is that at the end I couldn't even keep up the minimum anymore. Won't go into details about the consequences of that but it wasn't pretty. Very favourable for weight loss though. I just can't start my own engine, there's no spark to light the ignition. Everything becomes a bother. But I'm not necessarily sad of negative all the time. Put me in front of a funny TV show and I'll giggle away like everybody else. Give me a bed, laptop, food and drinks, and I'm a happy depressed person.
setmefree77
setmefree77
I can relate too. I have spurts of energy. Today, i made choices to be ho hum and that's the way my day went. Earlier in the week, I got outside, walked, did some exercise and had a great attitude and felt like myself for a few days.

That apathy contributes to our depression though...the things that might spark our seratonin, we don't do. I stopped decorating for Christmas and might give it a whirl again tomorrow.

Tis the season, good days, bad days but what I realize to help me thru the season (less vitamin D from no light) - is that Dec 21, the days start getting longer - and that is right around the corner. I never realized it before, but in Jan, they are really longer.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I think for men suffering from SAD the primary complaint is apathy. That is why SAD has been so disruptive and destructive in my life. Just try light therapy if that does not work my suggestion is move somewhere tropical.
MaybeICanHelp
MaybeICanHelp
I've started light therapy. I think it is helping some. It helps to get me going in the morning.