h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was just wondering if anybody had tried either of the remedies which this article suggests, or whether anyone has any further remedies which have worked for them?

~A~

I have used talking therapy for several years now. It helps me, also, a friend of mine uses St John's Wort & she
finds it very beneficial.

Iain(-:

I have used talking therapy for several years now. It helps me, also, a friend of mine uses St John's Wort & she
finds it very beneficial.

Iain(-:

Hi there.

I take it by 'talking therapy', you mean as prescribed in my article?

~A~

Yes, & I have also had about one and a half years worth of sessions
with a trained counsellor.

Iain(-;

Specialising in/understanding SAD?

It seems that many practitioners still fail to recognise it, though given the number of years it took for doctors to realise that post-natal depression is something more serious than a touch of the 'baby blues', I guess this isn't too surprising.

I also suspect that 'Eastenders' could be a contributing factor in some cases (the viewing figures are bound to increase when the weather is bad outside!). I certainly find it way too depressing to watch.

My general policy is to 'make light of the situation', which can give people the wrong impression, but it gets me by.

~A~

Re: looking for the good side of things. That is the theory behind cognitive behavioural!! (tricky word!) therapy.
Positive focus supposedly overrules negative thought patterns allowing you to get off the negative thought express.
No stops between here and oblivion. But ( and I've got a BIG butt.) it ain't as easy as all that. You must try to get off
the train quickly before it goes too fast & you are too far down the tunnel.

But it does work.

Iain

I find that aromatherapy candles containing St John's Wort work wonderfully...One thing to remember when you take St John's Wort -- it has been reported to counteract the effects of birth control pills.
A therapist once told me to keep a rubber band on my wrist, and snap myself with it when my negative thoughts begin to take over...it helps to reinforce my mental control (I am bipolar, so my thoughts sometimes get out of control)...

Peace

Hi Babysnakes,
I don't use a rubber band because it HURTS & I don't think it's helpful to use negative reinforcement
to try to stop negative thought trains.

but you have to use what works for you.

Iain

I just started using a 10,000 lux. light for treating SADS 8 days ago, and as far as I can tell, it has made a big improvement in my general mood. I can't say that it's a total cure, but I think it's better than going on medication that will mess around with my whole body chemistry. I would also recommend having regular wake/sleep hours and regualr exercise.
Talk therapy has helped me in the past. I think the key is to find the right person to talk to, and sometimes that's hard. I recommend trying out the light therapy because you can see pretty immediate results, and no side effects.

I'm still looking for a place that sell these bulbs. Did n't know about the SJW and birth control thing. Have you seen any info about it on the net? Would be worth adding that to the article if I can verify it.

As I am a broke college student currently and cannot afford SJW OR a cool light bulb to cure my SAD, I have found a completely free option. The idea is something like sunbathing. When there is a good amount of natural light outside go outside. It can be cloudy, but still have sufficient light. I've found it easier walking between classes even if it's raining, because there is some light than sitting in class where there isn't (that's why I get tired in class). If you are forced to be inside (like you have a paper to type, or an online conference to do, or chores, etc) simply tur on all the lights AND open the blinds. This heightens the impression of a sunny day. And don't forget to admire the sunny outside once in a while to get the solar nutrients! If it is "too cold" to go out, use the inside method (less effective) or bundle up and go outside. It's better to get used to the cold anyways if you are from a warm and sunny place (like the SW US -- where I'm originally from).

If anyone has any other free methods, tell me! I need my sunshine!

It isn't just Birth Control pills it is many kind of prescription drugs.

This post has been removed.

If there are any moderators kicking around here I would appreciate knowing why my previous posting was hidden during moderation. Thanks