[Angelonthemove]

Hi all

I have spent all day surfing so I can buy a light box for SAD to no avail. I have been here now 3 months and have been suffereing from feeling down. This weekend has been the worst and I even burst into tears in the middle of a restaurant. Having had depression before I knew I had the symptons but could not understand why.

Can anyone tell me where I can buy a SAD light box lamp from near Wellington or order one online?

Its due to changing from pure brilliant sunshine in Cyprus for 3 years to spending time in grey skies. Its my only hope of getting out of this depression, its effecting my work and home life. Its surprising when you surf how you find out what is wrong with you. Came across another forum of people describing the same symptoms as I and they had moved from North to south Hemisphere.

Any help appreciated


Angela

[anna_c]

Can't answer your question, but I find a full spectrum bulb in a desk lamp really helps. You can get them from Lightbulb Man on Boulcott St for $10-15 for an energy saving one or cheaper for a regular - so it's probably worth a try anyway.

[tigerlily]

Angela,
I'm sorry that you are having a tough time. (((hugs)))
When I read your post, I immediately thought that culture shock might be playing a part in your feelings. Check out this site:
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/CGuanipa/cultshok.htm
for more on the very physical symptoms of adapting to a new culture.
A lot of people on this forum have gone through depression, and it seems to be a normal part of the process. The hopeful part is that many people here have been through it and are feeling better again. You might want to post more about your feelings on the main board, I think you'd find that many have been there too.

I hope that the sun shines for you again soon.

[jo-and-jeff]

Angela,

I totally sympathise with you, as I have depression that worsens with the winter season and suspect that it may be due to SAD.

Amjo Corp (http://www.sadlight.com/aj-220-volt-items.htm): This is a U.S. company which has some 220v items and will ship Internationally, but you need to check with them regarding cost before ordering.

BriteBox (http://www.britebox.co.uk): This UK company sells SAD lights, but their website doesn't say whether they ship internationally; you can e-mail them at brite.box@virgin.net to find out.


In the past, I have found that setting up a regular schedule of exercise and sticking to it (even if it's just a walk for 30-60 minutes every day) really helps with the symptoms.

Remember that, even if your symptoms are identical to someone else's, it does not necessarily follow that you have the same thing that they do. I would strongly encourage you to see your doctor for an evaluation; if you are experiencing a recurrence of depression, there are things that they can do to help. A light box may not be the only remedy available for your particular situation. You don't have to -- and shouldn't -- go this alone!

Best Wishes,

Jo

[Avalon]

{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Angela,

I know this wont help you get through the bad bits, but this could well be culture shock as Tigerlilly says. I too have been known to burst into tears at various points and in the most inconvenient locations when I first came here. I know it wasnt SAD becasue I arrived in summer, and although a Welly winter can be dull, the summer really isnt. It took me a long time to acclimatise to living here - Id have to say I didnt really stop with problems till I moved out to the country.

Please - give yourself time. This emigrating lark is HARD. A lot harder than it often seems, and I know that you are certainly not alone in having a hard time settling here and feeling like this. It may be SAD for you - it may just be teh fact that you have just shifted half way round the world.

What I can say is that for most of us, it wears off. Sometimes, like for me its a case of "finding your place". Sometimes its coming to terms with leaving family - I also had that to an extent, and it didnt improve unless I was with friends who could help me through it, and them My family came out here. Sometimes its just getting your head round the differences. I know thats hard to see when you are right in the middle of this - but try and hold it in your mind if you can.

If it really is the sunlight - bear in mind you can always move north. You are here and in work, so for now you have money coming in - but theres nowt to stop you moving out of welly to somewhere you prefer. Could you both take a weekend out and go exploring and see if theres somewhere else that would suit you better as a place to live than welly? (Much as I love Welly - its not for everyone).

I really hope you get better.

Hxxx

[KerryS]

I don't have SAD, but I do hate dark mornings. I have a Lumie alarm clock, which is fantastic. It has sunrise and sunset funtions, and gradually lightens the room for you to wake up.
I got mine in the UK, but a quick google has shown that you can get them from here:
http://www.wellness-shop.co.nz/bodyclock_standard.html

I know it wasn't what you requested, but I found that it really helped me beat the winter blues by starting the day with a bright light.

[Trigirl]

We've got one of those bodyclock alarm clocks too. Totally fab.

[Rose]

Sorry to hear you're feeling down. I lived in Wellington for three years and the winters got me down too. I even went to sunbeds to try to make myself feel a bit more human. Good luck adjusting and with your research. Hang in there - summer must be close by!

Rose

[Angelonthemove]

Hi All

Thanks for all your replies they all helped. I think it is a combination of the weather and adjusting, but most of all my job. So I walked out :exit and have been at home resting. Its great being able to go for walks and read a book in the sun. My OH has made me a sun light box thing he is very good at the techy things. It is helping as now I sleep through until 7am.

I am sure if I can find a job that has less poliitics I will enjoy being here. For now OH will support us, just.

Lets hope the sun stays out at least for the weekend.

Angela

[Rose]

Hi Angela

I am glad you've made the right decision in leaving your job. Good luck finding one that really suits you.

I have another tip for surviving winter in Wellington. The Freyberg Pool on Oriental Parade used to have a hot tub on a platform above the pool. From there, at night you can look out at all the sparkly lights around the harbour. Lovely. You pay less to use it than if you were using all the normal facilities. Then there's the sauna too. I find just peeling off the layers of clothes in winter makes me feel more human.

Good luck,
Rose

[Asli&Mark]

Hello Angela,

I am not sure if you have found it yet but if you still want you can order it from the UK company and give my address in UK and I would send you the lamb. As I think they would charge you a lot so send it to NZ.
By the way I hope you are feeling better.

[Angelonthemove]

Thanks for the offer of getting a light. My OH made one and the guy in the shop said a lot of phychiastist use them in their receptions.Much cheaper way to do it the guy was really helpful. OH just got a fluro tube fitting one.

It made such a difference and even my OH started to use it. Shame the sun still has not come out.

I have a new job starting 29th Jan and feeling a lot better

Thanks all of you and Happy New Year

[toesonthenose]

Angela,
I hope you're doing better! It's posts like yours that really make me think seriously about NZ. I read these annual sunshine hour totals that have "sunny" places like Napier or Nelson with less sun than Detroit, Michigan, where I grew up and recall gloom, and dark, and gray. Like you from Cyprus, I'm in Hawaii with 4000+ of sunshine per year, so hearing you looking for a SAD light freaks me out!!!

[incredible hulse]

Angela,
I hope you're doing better! It's posts like yours that really make me think seriously about NZ. I read these annual sunshine hour totals that have "sunny" places like Napier or Nelson with less sun than Detroit, Michigan, where I grew up and recall gloom, and dark, and gray. Like you from Cyprus, I'm in Hawaii with 4000+ of sunshine per year, so hearing you looking for a SAD light freaks me out!!!
The worrying thing is I reckon the figures they quote for NZ are on the optimistic side - How they can say Welly has less rain than London is beyond me if this Winter-Summer is anything to go by .... :D

[Singel]

............... I read these annual sunshine hour totals that have "sunny" places like Napier or Nelson with less sun than Detroit, Michigan, where I grew up and recall gloom, and dark, and gray. Like you from Cyprus, I'm in Hawaii with 4000+ of sunshine per year, so hearing you looking for a SAD light freaks me out!!!
I live in the tropics most of my life and when I was living in Europe (UK and Holland), I suffered from SAD depression during the winter time. Bearing this problem in mind, when we decided to move to NZ, we chose to live as far north as possible. I have already experienced 3 winters here and I have never feel depressed at all - the winter here is more like a bad European summer. In Auckland, during winter time, it is either rainy or sunny. As soon as the rain stop, the sun start shining. As a result, rainbows form many times in a day. There are rarely overcast weather here.

[Angelonthemove]

Wish I had read this before we moved to Wellington, but I do think this year has been worse than most. My inlaws are in OZ and the weather therre has been out of season storms, higher than normal temp. It's all a bit unpredictable all over the world at the moment. That said having sunny days here in the winter is better than constant grey skies and rain.

If I had come here straight from the UK I think I would have coped better than coming from 3 years in cyprus. But the heat there gets to you too, so there is
no perfect country for weather. :D

[Singel]

Angela
We look at this website : http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/NZXX0003?from=search
, to find out the average winter temperature of the major cities in NZ. This is the only research that we have done about the NZ weather before we arrived here. At that time, we don't even know that forum like this exist.