• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 84 subscribers
  • Views 1331 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

When the darkness comes

JT

Ok, that is a very dramatic title. But, there is a reason.

I've noticed that every year, without fail, after the sunshine if the summer dwindles and then autumn sets in, so too does a SAD type depressive feeling.

My anxiety is elevated, and I start having much more negativity in my character.

Is this just SAD syndrome, or is this common amongst other Autists? I'm already very very sensitive to weather changes, so this could be an extension to that?

  • Excellent inptlut guys.

    The exercise thing is definitely something I need to reignite. Even if I do undertake lots of exercise I still feel the darkness appear, but keeping busy and having a focus in that way is a great thSlight smileght. Possibly back to surfin for me Slight smile

  • Maybe swimming, cycling some sort of physical activity that you find enjoyable could help take the edge off. I say this because I suffered from this every winter, apathy and feeling very down, spending 8 months of the year with life on hold waiting for warm weather so I could feel like myself again. Very bored and depressed and listless. I got back into cycling the other summer and kept it up through the winter, going out for a ride on trails and tracks whenever I could as a priority when dry and absolute priority if the sun is out, that made a huge difference for me. A level of physical activity can release good chemicals in the brain..sorry if you already know this or it's not that easy it's just something that helped me.

  • in reply to Cal

    @JT,

    Thanks for raising the topic, I lived in the tropics for 20 years and got used to no winters and no daylight savings times. I moved back to civilization a couple of years ago and have started suffering depression in Winter.

    I was wondering if the season was having an effect on me or if it was just coincidental timing, your comments have made me feel better. I'm in Australia so just coming out of Winter now.

    Cheers.

  • I find that summer, with it's heat and bright light causes me to feel severely depressed. I also fall to pieces when the clocks chabfe to 1 hour forwards in summer. No matter how much I plan, things still don't go as planned. I then get panic attacks alot. Or 8 walk about a lot in a brain freeze trying to remember what I am meant to be doing. 

  • Its better to look at this the other way around in my opinion.  I look forward to early May - the days are about the right length of day and night, it's about perfect temperature and you have the promise of long days and hope of good summer weather to come.

    In the meanwhile, - yes, this is a depressing and stressful time of year, made more so this year due to the geo political and resources pickle we all find ourselves in for the winter of 2022.

    The good news is......its only 8 months until early May !

  • I knew someone who used to treat his SAD by sitting underneath the lamps he was using to grow his dope with...

  • I'm not sure to be honest. My mum has described feeling like this often and although she isn't diagnosed, she has / had a lot of childhood traits she shares with me so if I get diagnosed (I'm currently being assessed) then she might also get diagnosed. It could just be the SAD syndrome thing though.