Guest Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Yes, but even in the summer in Oz you can get early morning or evening sun if you need it. But with SAD it is less the sun and more the light levels as even cloudy UK summer weather is good. It is not really even the shortness of the days but the fact that even here down south there are so many days when you have to have lights on all day. Everything I learnt at Uni (I did psychology) was that it is the length of day that is the primary factor in SAD, it is correlated with distance from the equator but I'm not an expert - I specialised in children's behaviour problems not adult mental illness. No idea if you are a sufferer so certainly don't want to preach or patronise but lots of people prone to depression feel worse in the winter and it is nothing to do with light, this kind of depression is psychological & moving to Australia may well help (even believing it'll make you feel better will help) so long as you don't replace being cooped up all day in the winter and avoiding going out with the same in the summer. I know amongst my friends and family we have all been feeling a bit fed up lately with the weather - we had snow that lay for quite a few days, sub-zero temperatures morning after morning (oh how I love de-icing my car!) and the next holiday from work just a bit too far away. Some are feeling worse than others - I would say I've had the blues a few days rather than being depressed (& I have suffered from depression so I do know the difference) so I am not in anyway denying that the weather affects how you feel. I just wouldn't want anyone moving to Australia because they have SAD and think it will help - in fact according to Mind UK and Southern Australia are both countries where it is prevalent. http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/seasonal-affective-disorder/#.VNuuHkJpX9E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Maybe just winter blues. I haven't felt as bad this winter as previously mainly because I have kept telling myself it is the last one. Going to Brisbane too so quite a bit nearer the equator than southern England. Certainly last August in Brisbane was fine with warm sunshine most days. And I have visited in summer so have experienced the heat and humidity first hand. It can be a little uncomfortable some days but I favour heat over cold any day. I know many who disagree and have friends who enjoy UK winters more than summers. Different folks, different strokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Talking about daylight hours ...... another thing I enjoy about Tasmania are the long summer evenings. It's still light at 9 pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I guess one of the real reasons I want to go is because I literally don't think I can handle another Scottish winter, I am so much happier in the summer months, even now, here i February things are getting a bit brighter, but nov, december and january are just so harsh. I would say I definitely suffer from SAD and have low vitamin d and b12 Moving down south or to Europe might be an easier way of achieving that than going halfway round the world? Sydney on 85k with a family would be a struggle - anywhere else in Australia it would be fine, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohsohappy Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 That wasn't me that said $85k or Sydney, thanks though, enjoy Scotland when you get back, it's bloody freezing and dark right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Talking about daylight hours ...... another thing I enjoy about Tasmania are the long summer evenings. It's still light at 9 pm. I think Tassie is much easier for Poms to acclimatise to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 ^^^ Perhaps not for the ones who are desperate for hot weather :wink: It certainly suits me just fine down here though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 That wasn't me that said $85k or Sydney, thanks though, enjoy Scotland when you get back, it's bloody freezing and dark right now. I have NO intention of going back to Scotland! I will be settling in the south of England, where most of my family is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Rent paid for 3 months , wife would need to find work around our 6 year olds schooling and my shift work . Your child's schooling is going to take $5k off your salary for starters if you're being sponsored on a 457. Be aware, too, that dependents on 457 visas often struggle to find work unless they've got a fabulous in demand skill set. i wouldn't be moving for less than $120k to Sydney. It's hugely expensive and you get no benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 ^^^ Perhaps not for the ones who are desperate for hot weather :wink: It certainly suits me just fine down here though! Certainly wouldn't suit those who like 35c+ but I think a lot of poms come over thinking ooh 35,38,40 degrees lovely! But working / living in it is harder than holidaying by the pool/ sea! They're the ones that actually may have acclimatised and enjoyed Aus more say if they'd gone to Melbourne or Tas.I hate it in UK when it gets over 30!! Too hot to sleep and house doesn't cool down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I think Tassie is much easier for Poms to acclimatise to. That's how we came to be here. My English born mother couldn't cope with the climate in northern NSW but loved it down here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 That wasn't me that said $85k or Sydney, thanks though, enjoy Scotland when you get back, it's bloody freezing and dark right now. I think maybe you meant me, I've been back since July 2013 and it was absolutely the right decision for us but everyone's story is different. And I'm glad February is half way over - said to OH last week, when we retire lets spend February in NZ but everything considered our life is better here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I used to have really bad SAD ( rhyme unintentional) when I lived in the UK. Dreaded the vile winters there and the half light from October to May. Never had it since we came here but I have had low vit D in Winter which miraculously cleared up when I started going for daily walks. Don't use sunscreen unless it is really hot or V high uv because the doc said it blocked Vit D but have to be sensible of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I was in the UK in November and even though the rellies were saying the weather was OK it really got me down. I was over there for my Dads funeral so that didn't help, but the constant greyness and dullness really got to me. It wasn't freezing cold or anything, I didn't have a coat to take with me and got by wearing a decent jumper most of the time (and walking fast). Had to borrow a coat a couple of times but cold I can put up with, it's the dullness that gets to you. I used to hate the time after Christmas, whe the pubs aren't so full and everyone is paying off their Christmas debts. We used to live for the holidays abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I know what you mean Paul1Perth. Our first home was in Wallasey - the other side of the Mersey from Liverpool. I loved living there - the Liverpool people are the best but the winter weather for the 3 years we lived there wasn't the best. Days of fog, then days of just dull, cloudy weather - days of constant rain and cold and not seeing the sun for a while does get you down. It took a bit of persuading to get me to leave though in the end my Australian husband said he'd had enough as he worked on building sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I was in the UK in November and even though the rellies were saying the weather was OK it really got me down. I was over there for my Dads funeral so that didn't help, but the constant greyness and dullness really got to me. It wasn't freezing cold or anything, I didn't have a coat to take with me and got by wearing a decent jumper most of the time (and walking fast). Had to borrow a coat a couple of times but cold I can put up with, it's the dullness that gets to you.I used to hate the time after Christmas, whe the pubs aren't so full and everyone is paying off their Christmas debts. We used to live for the holidays abroad. That is the nub of it for me really which is why I gave myself this username. As an example last Sunday was a lovely bright sunny day (still very chilly though) but it has been slate grey all week (no sign of rain, just grey). No sun at all forecast until the weekend. And that is fairly typical weather from mid October to mid March. I will miss the long summer evenings in the UK for sure (though many of those of course can be grey, chilly and wet most summers) but as I get older I find it harder to deal with the winters. I get to my birthday in October wishing for the next 6 months to go which is a shame really. I want to be able to enjoy life for most of the year in my autumn years, not just a small part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 That is the nub of it for me really which is why I gave myself this username. As an example last Sunday was a lovely bright sunny day (still very chilly though) but it has been slate grey all week (no sign of rain, just grey). No sun at all forecast until the weekend. And that is fairly typical weather from mid October to mid March. I will miss the long summer evenings in the UK for sure (though many of those of course can be grey, chilly and wet most summers) but as I get older I find it harder to deal with the winters. I get to my birthday in October wishing for the next 6 months to go which is a shame really. I want to be able to enjoy life for most of the year in my autumn years, not just a small part. That was what I hated...the grey....so miserable. No matter how hard i try I can't put a glossy spin on cold and grey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 It was cold for me in October tbf when we landed it was warmish ( 20c ) and sunny and we got all optimistic but a couple of days later, along came the wind rain and dull clouds, I was frozen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 It was cold for me in October tbf when we landed it was warmish ( 20c ) and sunny and we got all optimistic but a couple of days later, along came the wind rain and dull clouds, I was frozen. How'd you think I felt in Dec! To be fair there were some nice sunny days..but the cold....how anyone can say it's just as easy to enjoy the outdoors is beyond me...it's just not comfortable, no matter how many light layers you wear... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I don't think Aus is heading into a recession anywhere near as bad as Europe and America has had. The interest rates are at record lows, they dropped again last month but are still a lot higher (at 2.25%) than most other countries. That means the reserve bank has room to manoeuvre should the economy need a bit more stimulus. We came out her in 92, in the middle of a recession, no jobs to come to, it wasn't any better than it was in the UK at the time. Difference was we both gave up good jobs and careers to come, sold our house to pay for the move, had a 2 year old. Never looked back, we never gave any thought to it not working out. If you have confidence in yourselves and you managed to get through tough times in the UK why wouldn't you be able to do the same here? I think you are over-analysing. You have to be committed and it would help if your husband was all for it too.[/quote There's no one more positive about Perth than you .... never have a bad word so say about the place ! Bet u even see the good in 43 degree day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janlo Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I don't think Aus is heading into a recession anywhere near as bad as Europe and America has had. The interest rates are at record lows, they dropped again last month but are still a lot higher (at 2.25%) than most other countries. That means the reserve bank has room to manoeuvre should the economy need a bit more stimulus. We came out her in 92, in the middle of a recession, no jobs to come to, it wasn't any better than it was in the UK at the time. Difference was we both gave up good jobs and careers to come, sold our house to pay for the move, had a 2 year old. Never looked back, we never gave any thought to it not working out. If you have confidence in yourselves and you managed to get through tough times in the UK why wouldn't you be able to do the same here? I think you are over-analysing. You have to be committed and it would help if your husband was all for it too.[/quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Don't move to SA if you suffer from SAD.Used to have the woodburner on 24/7 in winter and lights on in the house during the day too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I love woodburners, they make you feel really cosy. Melbourne is usually colder than SA but we never have to have lights on in the daytime (unless there is a big storm) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Don't move to SA if you suffer from SAD.Used to have the woodburner on 24/7 in winter and lights on in the house during the day too. Average daily hours of sunshine in Adelaide in winter: June - 4 hours, July - 4 hours, August 5 hours in Glasgow: Dec - 50 mins, Jan - 1 hour 4 mins, Feb - 2 hours 7 mins in London: Dec - 1 hour 15 minutes, Jan 1 hour 21 mins, Feb 2 hours 7 mins Equates to around 400 winter hours of sunshine in Adelaide compared with about 120 in Glasgow and about 135 in London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 How'd you think I felt in Dec! To be fair there were some nice sunny days..but the cold....how anyone can say it's just as easy to enjoy the outdoors is beyond me...it's just not comfortable, no matter how many light layers you wear... That's because you've truly acclimatized to Perth temperatures! I don't think the grey bothers me that much but I do love those bright but crisp winters days ( Tassie has quite a few of those ). Definitely feel like getting out and doing something on those days! 35C and I wouldn't want to lift a finger! My husband can't stand the cold grey winter - it really affects him - miserable for 4 months. ( well even more miserable!) He's an Aussie though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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