NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) Burn out or SAD

[MickeyD]

Hello I am new to this...never typed in a forum before...and i do strongly believe that talking to people with the same symptoms help...so here goes!

Since 2006, in the winters especially, I have suffered from something I was never clinically diagnosed with. One psyc i went to had said something about situational depression, but after I took myself out of that situation, I felt much better, until the month of October. Since then,. I have been to one psychologist, counsellors, and my GP who I just get frustrated with. I have tried the anti depressants, and stopped because they made me feel different---Very lethargic, and this was what i was trying to combat. So, I tried natural things, like omega 3s, vitamin d, and other natural remedies, like light therapy. not much helped, except sleep! No one really understood what I was going through, and often told me to stop thinking negatively--I wanted to go tell them where to go, but I bit my tongue and went the professional route. However, I found that frustrating. I have asked co-workers, friends, and others who know me, and they all view me as a happy go lucky person, a go-getter, and someone who loves her career.... except for the winter periods when I lose interest in everything.

I do love aspects of myself, and just changed drastically when there was less sunlight, October to around march. People at work noticed, I was soooooo tired that I'd get home and sleep. I couldn't even climb the stairs. I had most of the symptoms of depression, said some crazy things, but had some support around me, and this really helped. It was a really scary place. Thank god for a loving boyfriend, because the counsellors that I was seeing made me question everything about myself. During those down periods, I was analyzing everything.

Most articles that I have read about depression, SAD, and burnout are very similar. What is the difference? This year, I have felt great. I have been feeling like normal all year, and now feel like i have my life back. my career is still the same, everything is the same....I have not changed!! Is it because we have had less gloomy days in Toronto and more sun? The sunlight is amazing this year....

So again, does anyone know the difference between SAD and burnout?....and, if u suffer from SAD, are your symptoms better this year? Please respond. I am going to go to another professional now, and try to figure this out. I feel that the winter periods of the last several years have been wasted...but thank god everyday that I do not have the cloud I had when I woke up every winter morning. Very, very scary.
I love my career, and realize now I put more effort in it then I should have. I guess that is my major change. Our health comes first! Congrats to all of u who r brave enough to talk about our mental health. It does matter more than one knows! Thanks to whoever started bell let's talk, and this forum.

[paul m]

Hello MickeyD and welcome. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or any amout of depression can be started by a variety of things or nothing at all. One of the problems is trying to understand all of the subtle variations that reporters and acadamics put onto things, sometimes even wrongly. I go more by symptoms and what works for me to stop them.

Seasonal Affective Disorder(S.A.D.) is a type of depression that starts due to the lack of sunlight. It can be mild or it can cause MDD that will not easily go away even after we start getting more sunlight. Just like burnout, death of a loved one or a divorce can start out as mild depression and turn into MDD. Even MDD can wax and wane with episodes coming and going for no known reason.

With SAD, even in the winter we can often get enough light to get by with, but it is very difficult to do in our modern society. I know that this winter we have a lot more sunshine than last fall and winter and that I should get out more in it. When I do it helps.

My SAD will slowly drag me down over the winter until it turns into MDD and nearly every spring I need to take antidepressants for a short time.

The other reason why my depression starts to build more over the winter is because I get less exercise. I don't like the cold and windy weather in winter. When combined with less daylight, I'm no longer walking the 5km a day I do in the warmer mths and some days I'm lucky to log 2km.

Are my symptoms better this year than last. Yes, but partly because I am going out more and partly because even though my walks have been cut back, they were non existant at this time last year and probably partly because there is more sunshine this year.

SAD shares most of the common symptoms of any depressive disorder, although a person with SAD may crave carbohydrates. While SAD is much more prevelant in CDA, stats show that even in florida some people are affected by it. Nor will everone who deosn't go out side be affected by SAD. This is proven by some people who rarely see the sun(night shift workers, shut ins etc). Take Care. paul m

[astronaut]

Welcome to the forum, MickeyD

I can't say that I can know what is wrong with you based on the little information that you have given and based on the fact that
I'm not a professional. I can relate to feeling funny on anti-depressants; however, not all anti-depressants that I have tried have
made me feel lethargic. I think that I may experience some SAD symptoms but like Paul, it seems to catch up with me by the time
spring rolls around so that is why I sometimes start anti-depressants in the spring or late winter months.

I don't live anywhere near Toronto so I haven't experienced the sunlight. Where I am there are mostly clouds and rain. I have
gotten more depressed over the last month and a half and I suspect that the rain has something to do with it but is likely not the
sole contributor as my episodes often come and go for no reason at all.

As for SAD and burnout. I don't really know what you mean by "burnout." I only know "burnout" when it comes to athletic training
which is different than SAD in that it has nothing to do with the light. I don't know if "burnout" is a universally accepted medical
phenomena, it may be more of a colloquial term.

I'm sorry that counselling and the doctors haven't helped you much but it is great to hear that you have such a good support
network.
be well,
astronaut

[Kaight]

Hello MickeyD. Welcome!

I definitely have some SAD symptoms. For me, October through December are usually the worst. In January, the sun seems to be out more often and as time passes it gets stronger, as do I. I often wonder if it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation. Do I exercise less, go out less often, and then start to feel more depressed? Does that thought of 6 months of winter freak me out and I become depressed? Or, is it the diminishing sun that actually changes the chemicals in my body leaving me listless?

This year my symptoms have been less. I was able to jog outside right up til Christmas. I had my bike out til Dec. !5th or so. We’ve barely had a cold day. The sun shines often. My improved mood likely has something to do with the weather. (Though I’d much rather imagine it has to do with a permanent upswing!!

As for the sleeping thing, I know its completely against the views of modern society, but I’m pretty sure its been proven that humans (at least in northern climates) have a tendency to sleep more in the winter. Think back a hundred years when houses weren’t hooked up to the grid. It was pretty much lights out when the sun went down. I know they had candles and lamps… but there is only so much you can do in that light. (Ever try staying awake in a room lit only by a candle?) Back then I can only guess, but I think the sigma was a little different regarding sleep patterns. I’ve cut myself I little slack the last couple of years and let myself have an extra hour or so in the fall and early winter. I know I’ll make up for it in the summer when I’m out pushing the lawn mower around til 9pm! Its nice to have one less things to get down on myself about.

Kaight

[MickeyD]

Thanks for the info Paul. I've read some of your responses and u do have a gift with words. By the way, your signature quote is one of my favs. Have a great weekend!

[MickeyD]

Wow! Thanks for the response Kaight! I do believe exercising does help, as does eating healthy, getting the right balance etc. I am hoping that my mood has to do with my upswing as well!! Or else I might be installing those daylights all over my house next year!!! The sunshine is intoxicating this year for me. I have so much energy I don't know what to do with it.
Have a wonderful weekend.

[MickeyD]

Hello astronaut,
Thanks for ur reply. As I am scrolling down, it's nice to see that people do care. Humanity can be compassionate!!
Burn out is a term dubbed by someone (don't know who) that people experience when there bodies Are under a constant stress. People experience stress differently, and some people can handle more stressors than others. Try typing in shepell fgi on google. They have some really good articles on depression. Anxiety, burn out, sad and all sorts! Another source that I love is called GROW, an organization in Australia that my ex boyfriend's aunt is a part of. Really great support system for people experiencing depressive episodes etc.

I also have an article from healthy living magazine that is all about whether or not our mental health is at risk because of stress. Really eye opening. I truly am starting to believe that society does place some unrealistic demands on some. We have to know our limits and embrace them. I know depression is an illness, and I have to read more about cortisol and it's affects on depression.
Let's hope it's not mostly about the sun and vitamin d. I pray that someone develops a blood test or something to see what we all have in common......

Take care of ur self, go out and have some fun. M

[AJ]

Welcome to te forums MickeyD.

[uni]

Welcome MickeyD! For a newbie at posting you're doing great. This forum was the first I ever went on as well. It's a great place and the people here have helped me through lots of gray days. I'm glad your winter has been going so well; I hope it continues to do so.