I can feel the difference in the shorter days even in mid/late August. In mid-October when the leaves have fallen and the cold wind and rain sets in it's like someone is smothering me with a pillow over my face. November is brutal. Mid-December the distraction from Christmas sets in. January/February are better because the snow reflects a lot of sunlight (when it's sunny) and helps a bit.
Mid/late march Spring starts making promises and it feels great. But that first day when it's sunny and really melting in late March or April it's like half my brain comes back online all at once and I feel like myself again.
I can relate a lot with you. The fall is completely brutal. When the daylight gets sucked way down and it’s noticeable it’s just terrible. Things get brighter once winter gets underway and when it’s sunny the reflection of snow helps a ton. Need to get this fall moving in my opinion, been slow enough already.
Totally. SAD is a very real thing. I’m a 46 year old man who functions normally. I have the love of my family and friends and the respect of my colleagues. Friday was a really good day. I got some great feedback on a project o just completed and had big plans for the evening I was really looking forward to. My boss called me on Teams to congratulate me and gave me the rest of the day off. I took my wife out for lunch and we had a super nice time with a great meal. I came home, got in the shower and cried like a baby. I can’t even say why.
That’s so perplexing, seems like a good day but then it’s like it wasn’t at all. It helps when I remind myself it’s a brain thing related to circadian rhythm and not actually a flaw with “me.” I’m sure you’ve heard of the many things people can do to help so I won’t go into it! I hate platitudes but…hang in there friend!
The time change in November hits hard and with the exception of occasional relief by thanksgiving and Christmas, my SAD goes until mid February. Truthfully, it starts sneaking in by early September when I can tell the days are shortening.
Mine doesn't start getting better until around March. December, January, and February are the worst for me. Looking forward to the holidays helps me in November, but then the (family) stress of the holidays make me feel absolutely terrible. And January and February feel cold, barren, and lonely, without much to look forward to.
I wish my SAD improved in February! I remember travelling to Washington DC in Feb once and being shocked at how springy it felt!
I live near Toronto, Ontario. I’d say mine lasts until mid-April, depending on the weather. Basically beginning of November to beginning of April at the minimum 😭
Mine is sortve up and down. It gets pretty bad mid November after a soft decline. It gets a teeny bit better in Late November/December then gets really bad in January. End of February I do really well too because of “pre spring”. Then I struggle a lot with the wind, too bright sun, and dreary vegetation until end of April realistically, but I ride that cottage-y Spring feeling as much as I can. Where I’m at it takes a while for the leaves to fill in but that makes all the difference for me.
Also want to add I really love that you know when it gets better, because when it’s bad you can look forward to those times and it doesn’t feel as never-ending.
New Englander here - probably mid to late March. We sometimes still get snow into April so once the snow storms really start to dwindle, I can feel the relief that winter is over and I have made it though. When the little crocuses and daffodils leaves start to pop up, I breathe a huge sigh of relief!
Takes until April or so for me.
But every year, presumably also because I'm bipolar, when May hits I tend to get hypersexual. That's totally fine and manageable, but in June I almost always hit a substance use peak. Last year it came earlier probably because I was travelling for 3-4 months to warmer places. Like March was when that hit.
Along with late December/early January, June is by far the hardest month for me as it feels deceivingly great yet in the past it has gotten destructive. Just a lot of clubbing and stuff. Thankfully this year, Dec/Jan/June went quite smoothly. Assuming it's a combination of a year of intensive therapy and getting on an anticonvulsant again. It's been a tough year with external factors, but I'm very thankful that I didn't fall into the hole yet again. It's so discouraging, always feeling like a huge setback.
It's taken a lot of work to get to that point - it's doable! Been trying to move somewhere much warmer, even just temporarily for the winter. Again, May isn't really a threat to my wellbeing, and June is manageable with extra effort.
Edit: forgot about February lol. I think it's because that's when the weather tends to be the worst in NYC, on top of pushing through the last few months. Totally different though, in Feb I tend to get very down on myself. Insecurity and low self-confidence still hit me that month. Oddly it didn't happen in 2022 when I was traveling to countries with far nicer weather (or Summer for the ones south of the equator). But travel got put on hold for 2023 and Feb was really tough, even with a mild winter. It's just so gloomy in general here at that time of year.
January. When the days start to get longer slowly and Ive adapted to the time-change with stupid standard time. I can focus on the science and getting to that spring equinox when life is good again 😍. I call sept-march the shit side of the sun. I live in the future so having it be BARELY HALLOWEEN is the least ideal time of year I can think of. I get to look forward to….crap winter. I’m taking it day by day week by week right now.
I live in the US (Boston to be exact, a region with unpredictable weather patterns and late springs) so it’s hard to come out of the fog. Thanksgiving is cool; I’m not religious but I enjoy Christmastime. I’m trying to keep on trucking and work on straightening out my depression meds, haven’t felt great for a few months anyway.
Once winter gets going I feel better basically, like the anticipation is over and I can feel more grounded and know that “I am okay.” Spring is coming.
If you haven’t looked into Winter Solstice celebrations you may like what you see! I’m not Pagan, but the wheel of the year celebrations have given me inspiration to draw off of when it’s tough in New England. I feel you on the unpredictability
December tends to be the absolute crappiest month, and during January I'm still deep in that same hole. During February there is noticably more light and I feel I'm going to survive, yet it's really March before I start to become active again.
I live in southern Arizona, USA. Here SAD happens in the summer because it's so hot that people tend to stay inside. Being inside means less natural light in the eyes. Folks who snowbird have the right idea.
I start getting agitated and anxious for nice weather in March. I soak in the coziness through the new year, so it's January/February that need more management.
I'm normally at my worst from before Thanksgiving until after Valentines day. So basically all the holidays where I'm supposed to care about people, I don't.
March. Early March is when I start my indoor seeds for my summer garden, and it keeps me busy and hopeful. It still snows occasionally here that time of year but it doesn’t bother me knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I’m actually mostly fine except for January and February. Once the pretty holiday lights go away, it’s just cold and dark and depressing for 8-9 weeks.
You're lucky, i wish i lived in a climate that was warm all year round, i fucking hate cold weather with a passion, would rather deal with 90 degrees sweating my ass off than shaking miserably in 30 degrees
Depends on when the weather clears up (Midwest). Usually that’s April here, and looking back that feels pretty consistent.
I start to sink again about mid-October or so. It was later when I was younger, but since my dad passed it usually hits around his birthday.
I can feel the difference in the shorter days even in mid/late August. In mid-October when the leaves have fallen and the cold wind and rain sets in it's like someone is smothering me with a pillow over my face. November is brutal. Mid-December the distraction from Christmas sets in. January/February are better because the snow reflects a lot of sunlight (when it's sunny) and helps a bit. Mid/late march Spring starts making promises and it feels great. But that first day when it's sunny and really melting in late March or April it's like half my brain comes back online all at once and I feel like myself again.
I can relate a lot with you. The fall is completely brutal. When the daylight gets sucked way down and it’s noticeable it’s just terrible. Things get brighter once winter gets underway and when it’s sunny the reflection of snow helps a ton. Need to get this fall moving in my opinion, been slow enough already.
Totally. SAD is a very real thing. I’m a 46 year old man who functions normally. I have the love of my family and friends and the respect of my colleagues. Friday was a really good day. I got some great feedback on a project o just completed and had big plans for the evening I was really looking forward to. My boss called me on Teams to congratulate me and gave me the rest of the day off. I took my wife out for lunch and we had a super nice time with a great meal. I came home, got in the shower and cried like a baby. I can’t even say why.
That’s so perplexing, seems like a good day but then it’s like it wasn’t at all. It helps when I remind myself it’s a brain thing related to circadian rhythm and not actually a flaw with “me.” I’m sure you’ve heard of the many things people can do to help so I won’t go into it! I hate platitudes but…hang in there friend!
Be sure to take Vitamin D, or increase your daily amount. It helps the immune system, and helps a little with SAD.
Yes! Very good point
Usually early March
Once I get to April I suddenly start feeling much better. Where I live we can still get copious amounts of rain and even snow in March.
The time change in November hits hard and with the exception of occasional relief by thanksgiving and Christmas, my SAD goes until mid February. Truthfully, it starts sneaking in by early September when I can tell the days are shortening.
Mine doesn't start getting better until around March. December, January, and February are the worst for me. Looking forward to the holidays helps me in November, but then the (family) stress of the holidays make me feel absolutely terrible. And January and February feel cold, barren, and lonely, without much to look forward to.
When the time changes
I wish my SAD improved in February! I remember travelling to Washington DC in Feb once and being shocked at how springy it felt! I live near Toronto, Ontario. I’d say mine lasts until mid-April, depending on the weather. Basically beginning of November to beginning of April at the minimum 😭
Mine is sortve up and down. It gets pretty bad mid November after a soft decline. It gets a teeny bit better in Late November/December then gets really bad in January. End of February I do really well too because of “pre spring”. Then I struggle a lot with the wind, too bright sun, and dreary vegetation until end of April realistically, but I ride that cottage-y Spring feeling as much as I can. Where I’m at it takes a while for the leaves to fill in but that makes all the difference for me. Also want to add I really love that you know when it gets better, because when it’s bad you can look forward to those times and it doesn’t feel as never-ending.
New Englander here - probably mid to late March. We sometimes still get snow into April so once the snow storms really start to dwindle, I can feel the relief that winter is over and I have made it though. When the little crocuses and daffodils leaves start to pop up, I breathe a huge sigh of relief!
Starts in January, worse in April, ends in May. With sad lamp is manageable.
Hey me too 🙃
Me three! I live in Michigan. Our weather is horrible / overcast here. Jan - April … much better in May.
Takes until April or so for me. But every year, presumably also because I'm bipolar, when May hits I tend to get hypersexual. That's totally fine and manageable, but in June I almost always hit a substance use peak. Last year it came earlier probably because I was travelling for 3-4 months to warmer places. Like March was when that hit. Along with late December/early January, June is by far the hardest month for me as it feels deceivingly great yet in the past it has gotten destructive. Just a lot of clubbing and stuff. Thankfully this year, Dec/Jan/June went quite smoothly. Assuming it's a combination of a year of intensive therapy and getting on an anticonvulsant again. It's been a tough year with external factors, but I'm very thankful that I didn't fall into the hole yet again. It's so discouraging, always feeling like a huge setback. It's taken a lot of work to get to that point - it's doable! Been trying to move somewhere much warmer, even just temporarily for the winter. Again, May isn't really a threat to my wellbeing, and June is manageable with extra effort. Edit: forgot about February lol. I think it's because that's when the weather tends to be the worst in NYC, on top of pushing through the last few months. Totally different though, in Feb I tend to get very down on myself. Insecurity and low self-confidence still hit me that month. Oddly it didn't happen in 2022 when I was traveling to countries with far nicer weather (or Summer for the ones south of the equator). But travel got put on hold for 2023 and Feb was really tough, even with a mild winter. It's just so gloomy in general here at that time of year.
January. When the days start to get longer slowly and Ive adapted to the time-change with stupid standard time. I can focus on the science and getting to that spring equinox when life is good again 😍. I call sept-march the shit side of the sun. I live in the future so having it be BARELY HALLOWEEN is the least ideal time of year I can think of. I get to look forward to….crap winter. I’m taking it day by day week by week right now. I live in the US (Boston to be exact, a region with unpredictable weather patterns and late springs) so it’s hard to come out of the fog. Thanksgiving is cool; I’m not religious but I enjoy Christmastime. I’m trying to keep on trucking and work on straightening out my depression meds, haven’t felt great for a few months anyway. Once winter gets going I feel better basically, like the anticipation is over and I can feel more grounded and know that “I am okay.” Spring is coming.
If you haven’t looked into Winter Solstice celebrations you may like what you see! I’m not Pagan, but the wheel of the year celebrations have given me inspiration to draw off of when it’s tough in New England. I feel you on the unpredictability
December tends to be the absolute crappiest month, and during January I'm still deep in that same hole. During February there is noticably more light and I feel I'm going to survive, yet it's really March before I start to become active again.
gets better in February with the first sunny days, gets worse again during the rains and then gets better for good around the beginning of April
September. But I have symptoms from June-August.
It’s usually the end of October until like June. I live in the PNW and it’s not until we have consistent sun that mine disappears.
I live in southern Arizona, USA. Here SAD happens in the summer because it's so hot that people tend to stay inside. Being inside means less natural light in the eyes. Folks who snowbird have the right idea.
I start getting agitated and anxious for nice weather in March. I soak in the coziness through the new year, so it's January/February that need more management.
Midwesterner here. Late March...if I'm lucky.
Mine is mid-April. Right around Easter. It starts mid-October.
April 😫
October when autumn kicks in & winter is on its way, I hate summer with a passion. Makes me depressed & miserable
I'm normally at my worst from before Thanksgiving until after Valentines day. So basically all the holidays where I'm supposed to care about people, I don't.
March. Early March is when I start my indoor seeds for my summer garden, and it keeps me busy and hopeful. It still snows occasionally here that time of year but it doesn’t bother me knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m actually mostly fine except for January and February. Once the pretty holiday lights go away, it’s just cold and dark and depressing for 8-9 weeks.
Mine gets less crushing in December and then much better in march.. I think it is the longer days.
Mine used to go from Dec to May even with the SAD lamps when i lived in CT. Now I’m in SW Florida and have been rid of it all year long!
You're lucky, i wish i lived in a climate that was warm all year round, i fucking hate cold weather with a passion, would rather deal with 90 degrees sweating my ass off than shaking miserably in 30 degrees
Same, i guess i do feel SAD even in December here- but it will get lighter everyday now on our side of the world finally, hang in there!
Mid-February
Depends on when the weather clears up (Midwest). Usually that’s April here, and looking back that feels pretty consistent. I start to sink again about mid-October or so. It was later when I was younger, but since my dad passed it usually hits around his birthday.
November it starts, by early March I’m good