Sun going down triggers Crying jags and anxiety

[mmmooo]

All day long, I deal well with my busy life.
I am 45, Have 2 sons and am married and should feel
secure. For the past few months I just become very
sad after the sun goes down, and things that I don't
worry about in the day, worry me. I had a partial hysterectomy
5 years ago. Is this a problem with hormones or one
that requires an antidepressant? It is harder to stay
asleep at night. I sleep okay between 2 and 7. Who can help me?

[andreprisal]

I am a 19 year old female.  I have a similar problem.  Although I am perfectly fine during the day, about 6pm when the sun begins to set I slowly get anxious, even depressed.  Like its symbolic of life or something.  But as soon as the sun is fully down and the night is solid in the sky I feel fine again.  I usually distract myself from the hours of 6 to 8 or 9pm whenever the sun is completely down.  And feel better the later it gets.  My solution during these hours is to, and it may sound funny, but I watch DISNEY MOVIES, CARTOONS, anything that is light, not too dramatic, not too sad.  Though I am running out of movies and wish Disney would get on the ball.  If it gets really awful and I cant distract myself, I call my parents and spend the night at their house where they will calm me down in an hour or less and help to distract me, I get very convulsive and teary when I can't control it which just leads to more anxiety.  Anyways if anyone has any advice or benefits from having someone who understands, let me know, it would cheer me more than you'd imagine.

[AP3777]

I have this same problem and have also been looking for answers.  I dealt with my first major episode of depression about 5 years ago when I was 18.  In the past couple years I have had mild depression on and off.  However, on a day to day basis I started to notice a pattern to the severity in my bouts of feeling blue.  I have come to notice that the setting sun is a trigger and can make me feel anxious and restless at first and then as nightfall hits I am depressed and crying for the rest of the night until I go to sleep.  I have actually experienced this on days where I do get to spend time outside.  Also, it usually happens when I experience the sun setting directly - like having all the windows open in the house or being out driving around and actually experiencing the process of the daylight fading.  Though sometimes I did spend time outside earlier in the day, the anxiety first sets in with a feeling that time is passing too quickly and I can't keep up - or that I still have so much left to do and the day is already ending (kind of like in one of the previous posts - like being robbed of the daylight).  I do not feel that this happens more often in any season - so I know it is not the same as S.A.D.  Have not seen the doctor about it but I will go soon because it is becoming a disruption to my everyday life and relationships.  Anyone else with similar situation please post.  If anyone knows a clinical name for this please post as well.  Good luck

[pooranxiousgal]

I'm visiting this site. I am so glad to find people who may have experienced something similar - it makes me feel understood, and less alone. All my years, I could never sleep in the late afternoon and wake up when the sun was setting. If I were asleep then, I get nightmares! If I  wake just when the sun is setting, I get very anxious, the feeling of doom. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

[kings28hockey]

I dad this same thing happen to me. As soon as the sun started going down i would cry uncontrollably. I start seeing the world in a demented way and couldnt stop thinking about death. Went to see my doctor and he prescribed zoloft. After a few days this feeling went away and never came back.

[oceans3]

hi. this post caught my eye because i feel like you do. not necessarily because the sun goes down but because summer is coming to an end. i get very depressed. im already dreading the lack of sun, how it gets dark earlier each night, chilly days/nights and so on. fall is pretty but thats about it for me and winter and i do not get along. i am a summer person and love the sun and heat.i love the gardening and doing things outside.  i have a 3 year old who likes all of the seasons and the occassions that go along w.them so i try to enjoy it all for her.
in my opinion, it sounds more psychological than hormonal but im just giving you that from my experience. do you work all day? if so can you eat lunch outside? go for a walk? you may feel as if you are getting "jipped" of your daylight because by the time you get home, is it getting to be dark time? if you dont work, do you get to go outdoors and enjoy the day? i know my daughter and i eat every meal we can out on our deck and play outside. (i work nights).
i dont know what the answer is but ive heard of those special lights that mimic the sunshine that you can buy. i think i have that seasonal effective disorder and could use one of those lights myself. i know this sounds a little "out there", but i have painted some rooms a really pretty, soothing sunshiney yellow. it really brightens up a room and puts you in cheery mood. candles help and another thing i do is try to "bring the outdoors in". garden stuff, plants, flowers. when summer does comes to an end i play cd that has crickets etc..while im doing things around the house. i take my little one swimming at the ymca (closest i can get to a beach during winter).
these suggestions are a few little things that somewhat help me get through a bit of what you are going through. however, no one wants to live life feeling down in the dumps,anxious and not sleeping. you may want to call your dr. and talk to him/her about how youre feeling and perhaps it does warrent some type of medication. i do not like to take any meds but i get anxious, nervous and a bit depressed every now and then. after about 3 years of feeling this way daily i finally went to the dr. and she prescribed me xanax. its there in the cupboard if i need it. however, knowing its there, i dont need it as much. well, i hope i helped even a little bit cuz like i said, feeling this way is NO fun.