Is Your Mood Affected By The Season?

Psychology Today:

When the days get short and dark, many people develop a predictable set of symptoms. At their extreme, they can be very difficult and disabling. Together we call them Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD - an apt name because of how down and blue people can feel at a time of year when we're all supposed to be gearing up to celebrate.

Read the whole story: Psychology Today

Comments

[timezone]

03:37 PM on 12/10/2009

I know my cousin had SAD. When she lived on the East Coast, she'd be so tired and down in the winter. Now she spends the winters in Florida (and greatly upped in vitamin D that she was deficient in) and she said she's fine (as long as she doesn't go back to the East Coast during the gloomy winter weather!). I live in the Southwest and I've lived on the East Coast. While I never noticed any big mood changes in winter, I was also young when I lived there.

[bmonaghan]

10:18 AM on 11/07/2009

Isn't this a lot of attitude? I live in Maine. I often travel to Quebec. In Quebec, they celebrate winter and the cold. They hold a big winter festival where everyone goes and freezes their butt of but it's a ton of fun. In the US, we gripe, moan and grown. Granted, this year with it raining all summer and then freezing temperatures in September was a bit much - but generally, the four seasons is a good thing that keeps you rooted. You just have to set your mind to it and find a way to enjoy the winter - whether that is a book list, movies or winter activities. I like to think it as my annual hibernation. I also encourage people to discover herbal teas. A wonderful companion in winter.

http://www.homegrownherbandtea.com

[seattleblue]

07:24 AM on 11/07/2009

Ah, another winter in Seattle to look forward to.

November always feels like the opening credits to a Bergman film and it quickly goes downhill after that. My sleep schedule always gets all turned around (which is why I'm posting at 4:00 A.M.) and depression would be a step up. Last winter got so bad that I even went to the park to see if a tree's branch would hold me and a rope. It's a lovely tree and we have bonded:))

I used to live in Miami and Los Angeles. I was a different person altogether.