Rough start

[vaneramos]

Does anyone know when you're supposed to stop using lights to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder? My therapist suggested it's about now, so I stopped on Saturday, but I don't know. It's still kind of dark when I get out of bed.

These few days it has been painful to haul myself through the motions of my morning routine. Well, they're more than motions, because knitting and writing require creativity. Creativity can be rewarding, a source of comfort and healing, but this morning my body felt so out of joint, my willpower so fragile, I just wanted to go back to bed. I did not do so.

By the time I get dressed and out the door for work, I usually feel okay. But these two hours in the morning are normally the highlight of the day, and now they just feel rotten.

Comments

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I don't use it for the entire two hours. Twenty to thirty minutes a day is recommended, and twenty is enough for me. I think I'll go back to using it for a little while.

[eniastoa.livejournal.com]

Considering that Daylight Savings Time is about to steal 58 minutes of morning light this Sunday, that makes sense. Which prompts a question -- that recommendation, was it by any chance originated in the U.S.? Because in terms of short days, winter is over sooner at their latitudes.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

atldaddybear is a recent immigrant, still getting used to Ontario winters. Actually, you might have met him and his partner at the concert.

[hickbear.livejournal.com]

I presume that "that recommendation" mentioned by eniastoa referred to your therapist's recommendation, not mine. :-}}}}

I was shocked that you were told "cold turkey". I really would have thought there would be a step-down process, never mind the fact that Daylight Saving Time begins this coming weekend. So, at least for a while, sunrise is going to occur even later - which, to me, screams for continued use of the light box. {{{Hugs}}}, sweetie!!!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

[info]eniastoa referred to your therapist's recommendation, not mine. :-}}}}

Aha, yes. Well, she lives in Guelph. All things considered, I'm a bit puzzled by her advice on this. But of course, she is a talk therapist, not a psychiatrist, so she really wasn't the right person to ask.

And yes, now it seems obvious why I'm feeling cruddy, and why I should not go off the light box so quickly. I'm already feeling better just thinking about it, after all, tomorrow is another day.