One theory:
It is established in some psychological circles (can’t post a link as I don’t have one, just the word of my last psychiatrist) that direct exposure to sunlight directly affects serotonin production/happiness. SO get some sun, young lady! Go for a walk with your boyfriend . . . play outside. Hell, take a lawnchair and sit outside with a good book if that’s your fancy.
Just my HO. Hope it helps you rid yourself of whatever blues you’re having.
Just a thought . . .
Stress, among other things, can do a pretty good number on stopping periods. So can, among other things poor diet and poor circulation. Just thoughts.
re: the TMI
Pepper, sweetie, go to the doctor. Who knows what could be causing this. Catch it now when they can fix it. If you wait it could get worse. Have you changed your diet considerably? Started any new medicines? Recent additional stress?
Hang in there. It will get better. It has to, right?
Oh, Pepper.
I am so sorry that you are feeling so blue. I care about you, and I know that lots of other people do, too.
Should this feeling continue, the suggestion that you take St. John’s Wort is a good one. It is natural, and you will not need to see a doctor to get it. You can buy it at any health food store.
Pepper, people DO care about you. I care about you, Una cares about you, Jaime cares about you…I am sure that there are many more. Hang onto that, honey, and…
((((Pepper))))
Scotti
I just realized that. none. of. that. was written very. well.
jai guru deva, sweetie.
I hope you feel better soon, PLG. Lots of us Dopers seem to be stricken with depression from time to time, so you know we’re here if you need someone to talk to. Although the last thing a depressed person needs is another depressed person. 
Anyway, what I’m saying is, you can email me if you want to talk about anything.
Good luck.
–Tim
Hi PLG. Welcome to: AndY’s world, February 2000-present. 
<— reassuring smiley, take it or leave it.
But PLEASE treat it as any other drug. “Natural” does not always mean “safe” and “without side effects.” Heck, look at mushrooms!!!
No period in a year? And sad? Sounds hormonal. Coming from somebody who avoids doctors as she does the plague, please bite the bullet and visit a doctor, OK?
Went with the St John’s Wort and the Real Meds and prefer the real thing. Easier to gauge the dose, works better, STRONGER; all around better.
<hijack>
Any oldsters here who remember Mary Hartmann, Mary Hartmann? The episode where Mary is taken from a hostage situation, is real nervous from it, a cop asks the crowd if anybody has a Valium, and everybody in the crowd holds up their prescription bottles? Sounds like here sometimes.
</hijack>
Thank you everybody so much.
Today was hard for me, but after Jaime got home I talked to him about it. I have a very hard time sharing my feelings, with anybody, including him. But he understands, and he wants to help. He said, “Look, even if you don’t want to tell me why you are crying, please don’t turn your back on me. Let me hold you, let me help you.” He’s a good man.
Again, thank you everybody. Your support really does mean a lot to me. I spend a lot time on this board, and it’s nice to know that I have friends here. 
You all really mean a lot to me. Even those of you who read the thread and didn’t pos. Just being around the board, and all you smart,funny,good people usually makes me feel better.
Again, thank you.
And I will see what I can do about going to a doctor. I need a general check-up anyway. The problems mentioned here (stress, change in diet, etc) I don’t think apply to me. Or maybe they do and I’m so stressed I don’t know I’m stressed. =P
Glad you’re feeling better!!
Depression can be tough, belive me I know, but things always get better eventually.
Glad things are a little better!!
… don’t forget to smile from time to time. You might even fool yourself.
kellibelli could be right; it could be the post-Christmas slump. Everything seems so magical leading up to Christmas. There is so much preparation, anticipation, and excitement. And then it is over for a whole year.
And you had the extra added excitement of being accepted to a college.
I think the St. John’s Wort idea can be a good one. I, myself, was on prescription medication for years, and am now trying to go without it; I’ve been off medication for over a year. I have heard that trying to be physically active increases endorphins (sp?), which give us a high feeling (I guess that jogging can actually be addicting because of this). But also I think you can get the same benefits from several short walks or a couple of long ones. When my girls were babies, I used to put them to sleep by wrapping them up and walking up and down the stairs until they fell asleep. It was soothing for them, and great for fighting post-partum blues.
Good luck to you, ////pepperlandgirl\\, and I hope you are feeling much better soon.
Laura aka Spider Woman.
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Clinical depression sucks… but as somebody saied before - the holidays are the worst - so you might be through the worst soon.
hugs
dodgy
(((((pepperlandgirl)))))
pepper, wasn’t it around the beginning of December that you were accepted to college?
Now, I’m no expert, so I’m just going to start pulling some ideas out of my butt, okay? I’ve got experience with clinical depression, SAD, PMS, and a bunch of other loss-related stuff that may be of help. Or you can tell me to shove them back into my butt, where they belong.
Not only is it the holidays, it’s your last Christmas as a “little girl.” This time next year, you’ll be all grown up & in college. That first holiday where you can make your own choice as to what you’re going to do is liberating for some, traumatic for others. But the realization that it’s going to happen can be a shocker as well.
Post-holiday stress can also be a factor, as others have said. The big buildup, then the one day, then…it’s over. I think that’s a very large part of the reason why couples take a honeymoon after the wedding. Planning a wedding is stressful, and once that One Big Day is done, you need to relax. Christmas can kinda be the same way.
Also, you mention that you haven’t had a period in quite some time. Could be that your hormones are seriously out of whack. I would definitely see a doctor about that. If you’re not pregnant, and there’s nothing wrong with your reproductive system, you should be having periods approximately once a month (the time frame does differ from woman to woman).
These are just a few ideas that popped in to my head when I read your OP. As I said, I’m NOT an expert, so don’t take them as gospel.
Hope you get it figured out soon, though! ((((pepper))))
Persephone, this is definitely an issue. It’s very frightening, and all through the Christmas season, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that it’s the “last one”. Of course, it’s not my last one forever. But I’ll never get another gift from Santa…you know how it is.
I’m going to have my mother take me to the docter. ASAP. The lack of period has bothered me, of course. But it’s something that is troublesome, so I try to push it out of my mind. Like Scarlet O’Hara, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Except, tomorrow never comes.
I’ve calmed down considerabley today. I’m even going out with some friends tonight. A lot of that has to do with the support y’all have offered me. THanx again.
If it makes you feel any better, I’m 33, and I still get presents from Santa. My mom is very tight with The Big Guy.
I’m due for mine, and bored off my ass until school starts.
My Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is acting up too. Fooey!
Pepper-have you lost a lot of weight too? THAT can affect your cycle. Please see a doctor, sweetie?
Me too PLG, Persephone…& I’m thirty now. However I did have to train my mom my first christmas that I wasn’t too grown up to have a Christmas stocking & Santa presents…it wasn’t very hard!
anyway, hugs again…{{{{PLG}}}}