Seasonal Depression

On top of regular depression, which in itself is hard enough to deal with, there is also what's called "Seasonal Depression" (I only wish that all I had was seasonal, but then again if you count Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Christmas Season then I guess maybe I do!)

For the past few weeks I have been  irritable and grouchy and my temper can change at the drop of a needle as well as my mood.

The Dr told me all I can do is to take one day at a time, (or one hour at a time for that matter)! Not much help but if this is seasonal depression it sucks and ruins the lives of people around me, even the poor dog.

Why is it so tough to tell what's normal?

What's the difference between mental health and mental illness? Sometimes the answer seems clear. For instance, a person who hears voices in his or her head could have schizophrenia. A person who goes on a frenzied shopping spree or starts an ambitious project — such as remodeling the bathroom — without any plans might be having a manic episode caused by bipolar disorder.
In some cases, however, the distinction between mental health and mental illness isn't so obvious. If you're afraid of giving a speech in public, does it mean you have a mental health condition or a run-of-the-mill case of nerves? If you feel sad and discouraged, do you have the blues, or is it full-fledged depression?
Here's help understanding how mental health conditions are identified.

Why is it so tough to tell what's normal?

It's often difficult to distinguish normal mental health from mental illness because there's no easy test to show if something's wrong. Mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated based on signs and symptoms, as well as on how much the condition affects your daily life. Signs and symptoms can affect your:

• Behavior. Obsessive hand-washing or drinking too much alcohol might be signs of a mental health condition.
• Feelings. Sometimes a mental health condition is characterized by a deep or ongoing sadness, euphoria or anger.
• Thinking. Delusions — such as thinking that the television is controlling your mind — or thoughts of suicide might be symptoms of a mental health condition.

Journal Entry- Last to Go

I  now know what it would be like if I lost my wife. She went to the states for 3 days and it was just too quiet, the pets were home but it was not the same.  I had no one to tell me to do this or that (and yes believe it or not I did miss that!). The nights were so much quieter, and I really missed not having her sitting in her usual chair. I told her when she got home that she was not to die off first!

I do not have much energy these days, not sure if it is the meds or just the way they are effecting me (although my wife says it probably has more to do with extra weight, I like my idea better), and then there are days that I seem to have lots of energy, go figure!