In the two years since we took radical steps (lifestyle modifications) to address and control DD's S.A.D., she has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Howler, what worked?
DeeDee
1. We have a dog. An Aussie; VERY high-energy dog that is completely reliant upon my DD to keep her on an even keel (not destroying things and chasing everything that moves) each day through the magic of...
2. Regular vigorous activity-- preferably in the outdoors in natural daylight. DD walks/runs that dog EVERY morning in all kinds of weather, unless she is in the middle of an asthma flare, in which case she trains the dog instead.
3. Happy lights and broad-spectrum ("daylight") bulbs in a few strategic locations in the house-- but be careful that you aren't using them within 2-5 hours of bedtime (some people are more light-sensitive than others).
4. A schedule of extracurriculars that mean that DD has responsibilities to others and must meet them weekly. She also has animal-care chores.
5. Fairly rigid sleep/wake routines that do NOT vary with "how I feel about it" on any given day. Exceptions for one-time events and illness, basically. Making our expectations of daily routine more rigid actually has helped ENORMOUSLY.
6. Limiting screen time-- especially in the evenings. If we want DD to sleep by 11PM, we insist that her computer has to be off before 9:30PM, and her total evening computer time is limited to 2h.
7. Cultivating an
awareness of the problem, and encouraging more healthy self-talk and feedback loops to reinforce good mental health hygiene, and leave less room for the bad stuff.
