I keep hearing songs that remind me of summer. Cruising, drinking, chilling, just being out in the sun and not having to wear 15 layers just to not freeze to death. So of course, what has the temperature been at over the last few days? -25 to -49...Fahrenheit. That's with the windchill of course, but when you live in the flat wasteland that is Saskatchewan, avoiding the wind is nigh impossible.
I've always heard the term winter blahs, so I assume that's what's giving me this ill tempered sloth-like state I'm in right now. Doesn't help 3 of my friends are off in the Dominican Republic on vacation. Unfortunately, paying off the debts I accumulated while crippled was more important than wading into hepatitis country. And yes, I am bitter. Hell, I'm so blahhed out even CoH is pretty much no longer fun. It's not even game burn out, it's just burn out of everything in general.
Cursed mother nature....
I think I know what you meant Verfall. I go through something similiar each winter, though it's not so much the cold as it is lack of sunlight. (Me - Sunlight = Severly Depressed Me)
The weather around here is cold right now, but not nearly as brutal as what you described. On Saturday, I open the shades and watched the snow slowly coat the car and the landscape. Around here, this is a rare sight, which meant there were no less than four groups of kids out trying to have snowball fights and build snowmen with about an inch of snow to work with.
We're southerners, snow's exotic to us.
Most of it had melted off by mid afternoon though, so it was back to the grey and the yo-yoing temperatures that have ranged from highs in the low 30's to the mid 60's over a period of a week. Everything is still grey and overcast and kinda generally "blah" which promises to stretch into February, the most depressing month of the year (except for that day after Valentines day when chocolate goes on sale).
Mid-winter blues.. bleah.
Winter sucks. I am dealing with the same thing as Glitch Girl. My dad was telling me something about the sun causes your brain to produce this hormone or something that causes happiness (I believe it is called Dopamine). So no sun means less happiness, until chocolate time which is full of happiness producing hormones
My suggestion: slip out into the night and take one human life.
Always does the trick for me.
Quote from: captainspud on January 21, 2008, 11:54:08 AM
My suggestion: slip out into the night and take one human life.
Always does the trick for me.
Okay, quit being creepy Spud.
Speaking as someone who endures chronic depression as a result of sleep deprivation and a job that often sucks...
One way to combat depression is to commit Acts of Random (or not-so-Random) Kindness, several in succession. You kinda have to force yourself to get started, since depression sucks the energy out of you.
Find someone who has a puppy or a baby and is willing to let you hold them and play with them for awhile. Cuteness is the anti-funk drug. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Rent the most hysterically funny movies you can find for a temporary boost. Stuff with Robin Williams or Steve Martin can usually be counted on to deliver laughs, but there are lots out there. Alternatively, a great action movie that gets your adrenalin pumping can provide a temporary boost of energy. (Mostly just works for guys...)
Do something creative. And I'm talking about something that doesn't require you to think much, involves using your hands, and has a low frustration level. It could be as simple as messing around with Play-Doh (which I know sounds silly but silliness also works).
Do something outrageous. Maybe an attention-getting stunt, or a harmless prank.
Go out for coffee with a good friend and just talk about stuff.
The point is to do enough anti-depressive activities to get over your personal threshold of cheer resistance. Just doing one thing to try to cheer yourself up is temporary and when the glow fades you'll crash again. You need a period of sustained cheer to break through.
And it's always important to remember the bright spots in your life and realize that the dreary days don't last forever and don't outweigh the happiness of the happy times.
Human contact is pretty important, too. If you're flying solo, you're vulnerable to depression. A night out with the guys might be just what you need.