Lived Experience Forum

[NatureLover]

Hello dear @Anastasia , thank you for your two beautiful caring messages ❤️ I miss you too, so I really appreciate them. ❤️

I'm really sorry to hear you have absolutely no down time and virtually no sleep 😞 Is the lack of sleep due to things whirling around in your head at night, or due to the fact that you're always on the run so you can't relax?

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@Anastasia wrote:

Things are tough here with Mum and my boy.

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And this...I wish I had words...all I can do is send wishes...

Oh no re your continual flooding in your back yard and the mould!

I'm so happy to hear you're loving your business 🙂

I'm OK thanks, although I dropped my bundle...picking it up again now. My hands are still excellent and my arms are improving...thank you so much for your wishes! 🙂 I am mostly coping with work although it can be stressful. Walks have been nice (when I haven't dropped my bundle!) although still not enough sunshine here. I've applied for a postal vote due to the Covid risk - apparently things will take much longer at the voting centres due to Covid regulations. 

I think of you every day too, and wonder how you are, so your news is so good to have. Sending you lots of hugs and 💚🐛🪳🐞

[NatureLover]

Hello dear @Eve7 ...so lovely of you to pop in with some ❤️...thank you, I need it. 

I hope you are going OK...I had a little look and see your messages supporting others but not much news of you. Sending lots of hugs and 💛

[Eve7]

Thank you for the love @NatureLover very much appreciated today.

I was out the door by 6am this morning to volunteer at an event. Really feeling my age this afternoon lol.

The past few days have been topsy Turvey for me with a major blunder on Thursday as well as working flat out to prepare for Passover which, thankfully went very well.

This afternoon gs3 has been very naughty pushing me to the point where I threatened to wash his mouth out with soap and got the wooden spoon out to show him…of course in this enlightened age that is not allowed and he just laughed at me. I doubt that he’s ever seen my wooden spoon before. S1 took the iPad away and that calmed him down and soon pulled his act together.

Apart from that drama my life is calm and peaceful…lol

It will be an early night here. Hope you’re ok 💜💛💜

[NatureLover]

Gosh @Eve7  ...I hope things are calmer today! Thanks for your news ❤️

Sending lots of 💛

[NatureLover]

I've woken up badly depressed. I hope I can get it together for my volunteer job today, but I'm not sure. I don't even want any brekky, and I'm a huge foodie. It's this blasted gloomy weather with rain for days in Melbourne I think. SAD has a huge impact on my life and is so debilitating. 😭

[NatureLover]

I didn't make it in to work yesterday 😣

Still depressed this morning, no appetite. It's meant to be "mostly sunny" today, first for ages,  but in reality that doesn't equal enough sun for me...it somehow ends up being mostly cloudy. 😭

[NatureLover]

Ping!!! The sun did come out yesterday afternoon, and my depression vanished like magic!!! It's such a great feeling when that happens! I met someone for coffee, went to the library and the supermarket, all of which I wasn't capable of before. 

The depression's back this morning as it's overcast, but there's sun forecast for this afternoon, so I'm hanging on for that. 

[NatureLover]

I know no-one's following along...but I wanted to express that the sunshine makes everything so much better!!!!!!

I reached a low place this past week with the SAD, so I've ordered a therapy light box. I've been putting it off for years as there's not one spare centimetre of space in my house (the hoarding disorder) and no spare electrical outlet. But somehow I have to make it work.

I did a lot of research online yesterday - the light has to be a certain size (large), has to be a certain intensity, has to be placed a certain distance from your face and at a certain angle (not directly in front of you), has to be placed above your eye level angled down, and has to be used a strict number of minutes per day (60 minutes maximum) and only in the morning, or it will disrupt your sleep patterns. 

They also recommend the light not to be used by people with diabetes, which I have; but I did some more research, and this is because as diabetes progresses you can get eye damage from the diabetes (diabetic retinopathy). However, I don't have any eye damage yet, which I know from regular check-ups with the ophthalmologist; and I found some scientific articles recommending use of a light box for people with diabetes who also have depression (and no diabetic retinopathy).

Nevertheless, I will discuss it with my GP at my next appt, and also with my ophthalmologist at the next appt. 

The light is very expensive and is coming from overseas, so I really hope it doesn't break in transit!!! There are cheaper ones in Australia, but not that meet all the requirements, don't need to be fixed to the wall above my desk (I'm renting), and will fit in my house or on my tiny desk. 

But oh, how I wish it will make a big difference to my life and ability to function. 🤞 I feel I can't continue like this, with this depression lasting most of the year, even in summer on every cloudy day. 

[Bow]

Hey @NatureLover  just popping by with some love for you  💕

Also, I have a friend in England, originally from here, who uses what you are referring to. She struggles with depression and because winters can be long and dark over there with very little sunlight, it affects her. She finds it helpful. 

hoping that it arrives in one piece for you and that it has its benefits. 🌞

[NatureLover]

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@Bow wrote:

Hey @NatureLover  just popping by with some love for you  💕

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Aww, thank you heaps dear @Bow  ❤️ I'm so grateful. 

I guess there is less sunshine in England so your Australian friend would notice the difference. I'm glad the light box is helping her.

Thanks for your good wishes for my light box ❤️