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It's time to get out from under the duvet!

For many people, the onset of Autumn can bring nothing but misery as the clocks go back and the nights draw in. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms such as:-

Disturbed sleep patterns
Depression - feeling miserable, guilty or have low self-esteem
Mood swings
Overeating - there is a tendency to overeat carbohydrate foods which often lead to weight gain
Tiredness and lethargy - you are finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning
Lack of energy - you cannot be bothered to do anything
Los of libido - there is a decreased interest in sex or physical contact
Social problems - you feel irritable most of the time and there is a desire to avoid social contact

Then you could be a victim of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which affects a big majority of the population and may begin at any age, but the main age of onset is between 18 and 30 years.

Most sufferers show signs of a weakened immune system during the Winter months and are more vulnerable to infections and other illnesses. SAD symptoms disappear in the Spring either with a short period (e.g. 4 weeks) of hypomania or hyperactivity, or gradually depending on the intensity of sunlight in the Spring and early Summer.

What can you do?

Light boxes have been proven to help 85% of those who suffer with SAD, but you cannot get them on the NHS - they have to be bought and can cost well over £100. There are other things you can do to lift you out of this seasonal nightmare, such as:-

Taking a walk in the fresh air (particularly at lunchtime)
Take up a new hobby
Sign up for a course of study
Attend a dance or exercise class

If you cannot motivate yourself outdoors then get support from family and friends and if you feel lonely and isolated and don't have anyone to turn to, then there is always the local library that has lots of information on how you can join various groups to meet up with new people.

Traditional anti-depressant drugs are not usually helpful for SAD as they exacerbate the sleepiness and lethargy that are symptoms of the illness. The non-sedative SSRI drugs such as sertraline (Lustral), paraxetine (Seroxat) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are effective in alleviating the depressive symptoms of SAD and combine well with light therapy.

However, if you don't wish to start taking anti-depressants, there are other strategies to ease your burden. Very often it is how a person feels about themselves that brings on depression or sometimes when a person is not fulfilled in doing something they enjoy, then frustration and resentment can set in.

Counselling or Coaching may help?

If you feel this applies to you, then don't despair, having someone to talk to may just help you to offload those negative thoughts and feelings and help you make some positive changes in your life. Alternatively, if you feel stuck in a rut but cannot seem to find anyway out, then some face to face coaching will help you to pinpoint the areas of your life where you crave change and together we can plan a route to help you get to where you want to go. Either way, we will be happy to talk to you, after all, why waste any more time feeling totally miserable? Pick up the phone now or fill in your contact details on the contact form and send it back to us. We look forward to hearing from you..............

Lifesolutions Lifecoaching