Winter Blues....

The last few weeks I have felt absolutely blob like.. I just cannot seem to get out of this funk. I want to eat every carbohydrate that's bad in sight.. I do not want to get going in the morning and definitely struggling to work out! I love to work out so I haven't missed many work outs and have kept my eating in check.. However I know that the stress of the winter has taken my body's ability to lose weight at the moment which is definitely depressing in itself.

I read up on Canadian Mental Health Association on the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) :


SAD can be difficult to diagnose, since many of the symptoms are similar to those of other types of depression or bipolar disorder. Even physical conditions, such as thyroid problems, can look like depression. Generally, symptoms that recur for at least 2 consecutive winters, without any other explanation for the changes in mood and behaviour, indicate the presence of SAD. They may include:
change in appetite, in particular a craving for sweet or starchy foods
weight gain
decreased energy
fatigue
tendency to oversleep
difficulty concentrating
irritability
avoidance of social situations
feelings of anxiety and despair
The symptoms of SAD generally disappear when spring arrives. For some people, this happens suddenly with a short time of heightened activity. For others, the effects of SAD gradually dissipate.
(http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/#.UQfUo3y9KSM)


Ok well looking at those symptoms and the gross winter we have had.. I am definitely suffering
from this disorder this winter.
I know that dependent on the weather I usually feel a few of these symptoms..
However this winter I have dealt with them ALL! I know that it is just a winter issue however I
feel really lost and not functioning well.


I cannot wait to get my EnergyBits in the mail! I love how much energy they give me and I feel like a completely
different person. I also am going to check into getting a Vitamin D supplement and see how that assists
my moods. I want to feel lively, be on the go and have people want to be around me ( I know they want to but
I feel to crappy to want to be around them to often. )

Off to the pharmacy I go after one more cup of coffee!! Blinds are open , lights are all on and I am hoping I can
get in some Vitamin D through the clouds.. HA HA or any natural light that comes in!


SAD is not something to be ashamed of, you definitely are NOT alone in this. CMHA states 2-3% of the population suffers from SAD to an extent that is disabling, and that most of the population suffers from symptoms they are able to cope with. Mental Health issues are very common and are definitely a silent disease.. or a disease people refuse to discuss. Some mental illnesses are as deathly as cancer and some are easier to live within. Thankfully SAD is treated with very accessible and cost effective measures and often doesn't need medication. Please understand I am not making light of the disorder but acknowledging that it exists, I am suffering from it ( as I did with Post Partum Depression) and will do what I can to beat it.


Please feel free to talk to me about this.. Sometimes its hard to discuss such issues with friends and family.

Take care!