ARE YOU S.A.D.?
By Ed Newton

S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder), according to university of Michigan medical experts can be a physical and emotional debilitating condition. Evidence indicates that the lack of sunlight and long, dark nights can affect the mood influencing brain chemicals melationin (the bodyīs internal clock) and serotonin (affects sleep, appetitie, mood, and concentration). Women appear to be affected three to four times more often than men (which believe me - that affects men). We, NorteAmericanos are notorious for being worriers and caretakers. We try to take care of everything - the kids, car and house payments, taxes, health problems, job performance and security. Yet, we donīt take care of our own personal emotional needs. After the New Year celebrations are over, the inauguration and the Super Bowl, whatīs left to help us endure the rest of the long, cold, dark winter? Making the credit card payments for purchased Christmas gifts, shoveling the snow covered driveway, scraping the windshield so we can drive to work and home in the dark. Our joints ache, the kids are always inside underfoot and the wife, not only suffering from S.A.D., has got a bad case of PMS! Add a cold, dark winter night to all of this and you have a formula for problems. No wonder our forefathers gave us the right to bear arms! A vacation in the sun is in order. Our emotional well being is in dire need and we are also fast approaching the April 15th tax deadline. After a cold, dark, dreary winter the I.R.S. isnīt even close to being fair. Think about it. Rather than having to put up with the boss (whoīs also suffering from S.A.D.) a trip to Mazatlan can be the break that everyone needs. Farm the kids out for ten to fifteen days and "give yourself a break today"! S.A.D. symptoms include fatigue, excessive sleep, change in

appetite, decreased interest in a social life, apathy and in extreme cases suicidal thoughts and acts. letīs run down these symptoms one by one: Fatigue - wouldnīt it be better to walk on the beach, in the sunshine, sipping a Corona, than watching a basketball game in the dark, stuffy den drinking a Hammīs? Excessive sleep - again, going to sleep in a closed up bedroom and then waking up in the dark or being lulled to sleep by the sound of the surf from an open window and waking up to a beautiful sunrise? Change in appetite - easy one...heating leftovers because the wife isnīt in the mood or having shrimp and enchiladas for half the price of the left over meal? Decreased interest in social life - everyone is grumpy as hell, who wants to be near them (you canīt stand being near youself) or drinking tequila shooters and sharing a meal with new found friends in a Mexican restaurant? Apathy - our dragged out election was bad enough. How about a swim in the surf or snorkeling at Stone Island? Suicidal thoughts - parasailing seems more appealing than suicide. Consider the cost of a vacation to Mazatlan compared to the cost of a shrink - with the shrink you will still be affected with S.A.D. This is a real problem, especially for us from te far northern states (forgot Alaska, those people are really in the dark). It should be a doctorīs order that every January or February a two week vacation in the sun is prescribed for our own emotional and mental well being. For those who are reading this and are soon on your way back home - save enough for a sun box or a light box with fluorescent lights (these are available for $200 to $500), or be smart, call the boss (make up some excuse) and stay another week. Become intelligent and get solar powered. Your body needs vitamin D and your physical well being demands it.

 

 

 

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