winter months make anxiety worse?

[lisa983]

has anyone ever noticed when the winter months come, your anxiety gets worse. i am medicated to handle my depression. but i would get worse in the winter months. i know in the summer i would wake up and feel bad, so i would go outside and  stand in the sun and feel the warm weather and i would feel better. has this happened to any of u?

love,
lisa

[kteen16]

Yesss, when its all dark and cold outside, i feel more anxious and down.
But when its nice and sunny out i feel better.

[RubyWitch]

That's depression for ya! If you feel your antidepressant is working well for you the majority of the time, I wouldn't worry about feeling a little "extra" depressed when the weather is crappy. I don't know what a "normal" winter is like in NC, but up here in the frozen tundra, we have what we jokingly call two seasons...............winter and August! We spend 11 months in the rain (which is also why they call us "moss people") and one month hiding from that strange orb in the sky! We understand the rest of you call it "the sun!"
I usually strongly urge people to stay off Google regarding symptoms, but I will urge you to go on and get some information about these lights I'm talking about and the light boxes. If you have a husband/boyfriend/father/friend who is handy, they can make you one for next to nothing. Buy one from some special company and they ask a bloody fortune!
Let me know if you try it and if you feel it helps! I'm just curious.
Peace
Greenlydia  

[lisa983]

i will try that..thankyou---its also raining here today, its werid one day i am fine and others, cold, rainy days like today, really messes with me.

[RubyWitch]

What you are describing now has an "official" name, but it refers more to depression than anxiety. It's call SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. When the days grow shorter, the nights longer and there is less sunshine, people with depression often feel worse. I suppose it could affect your anxiety level since depression and anxiety often go hand in hand, but that is just a guess. If this is affecting your daily life, I would certainly speak to my doctor about it.
You might want to change the lightbulbs in your home to full spectrum bulbs. These give off a more "natural" light than regular bulbs. You might want to research light boxes which have been proven to help people with SAD. They are very simple devices, just a box really, with a plastic cover. They contain full spectrum lights and it's said that if you sit in front of one for about an hour a day, you will experience less depression. I wish I could remember all the why's about this, naturally I can't...........it has something to do with the amount of certain types of light (UV rays, maybe?) that we just don't get enough of during the winter months.
I read a lot, especially during the long, cold and rainy months of our Pacific Northwest winters, and I changed the bulb where I normally read to a full spectrum light a couple of years ago. I don't have depression, but I found that I didn't get as tired while reading and just felt generally better. I have now replaced ALL the bulbs in my house to full spectrum. It's not a miracle cure, you won't feel better the instant you turn the lights on, but I am now a firm believer that they DO make a difference. For a small investment, it's worth a try.
Peace
Greenlydia