Seasonal Affective Disorder

Are you SAD?  

Who wouldn't be with the Winter we've had here in Wisconsin?  It's something that sneaks up on you however.  I was rolling along fine in February.  Had plenty of steam in spite of the long, dark, cold days. Felt relaxed, felt in control, joking and laughing. Now bam... I'm blue beyond blue and can't shake the grey blanket that shrouds me.

I'm not sure what triggers my SAD-ness.  I'm speaking of what I self-diagnose to be Seasonal Affective Disorder. You don't know you have it until the symptoms become noticeable.  For me they appear after reading a book or seeing a particular movie that spotlights the "human condition."  

Silly me, in March the Oscars roll around and I have to go down the list of films on the nomination list. I rent the films and watch them at night, all alone, in the darkness. The films usually are particularly heart wrenching. Otherwise they wouldn't be ON the Oscar list.  

Then I notice it.  I don't finish the tasks on my daily task list.  (Crossing them off is something I live to do.) In the quietness of the evening, the sound of silence becomes deafening. My mind replays scenes from the story. I feel like a raw nerve. I cry for no reason. Thoughts of losing loved ones invade my psyche. I can't quit imagining the emotion played out through the story's characters.  I can't shake off the melancholy. It effects my life terribly. 

Any other time of the year I these scenes don't effect me so much as recognition of a "good story."  So why now?  More importantly, how do I get rid of these blues? It's frightening me. 

So, here's the list... according to readings from Google.  

Things to try to overcome seasonal blues 

Physical Environment

• Add sunlight – taking the dog for a walk after work when it’s still light (even if it’s a short one)
• Keep things picked up – clutter only adds to the gloom
• Play music – block out the sound of silence with sound, it can be white noise, the news channel, or rock music. Play it loud if you have to

Phyche

• Learn one good joke – If you’re not a joke kind of person, find a funny story, and regale it when you have to talk to people (and don’t feel like talking)
• Learn something new – keep it simple. For example learn to juggle, as you can sit on the couch and do that
• Perfect something – a recipe, your handwriting, application of makeup, or pulling your hair up into a “nighttime” ponytail. Again, keep it simple
• Do one thing that you don’t do, because it scares you - heights, trimming your dog’s toenails, going to the movies by yourself?

People

• Steer clear of those who don’t add value – the one’s that bring you down, won’t likely notice your absence anyway
• Cheer someone else up – write a letter telling a friend (or family member) about the things you like about them, it will surprise them getting it out of the blue, and reinforce your decision to hang out with this person
• Throw a party – everyone likes a party, make it simple, lots of food, loud music, screw a smile on your face and go to it

Get Busy

• Keep your hands busy while you resign yourself to the couch – knitting, crochet
• Get your hands dirty – there’s something about getting your hands in goo, then cleaning them off that’s therapeutic
• Walk, run, dig, hunt, swing, dance, swirl, swing – do this. Do this now

Consume

• Replace the sad thoughts with other thoughts – but proceed with caution, and focus on one author, or director, or actor. The focus falls off the story line, and more on the lifetime achievement of the artist – it becomes fact vs. fiction that your mind can’t torque into daytime nightmares
• Turn off the media and consume the disconnection – lay on the floor, in a sun puddle, or in the dark. No TV, phone, radio. Let yourself reside in the silence. Think your thoughts until you come to a peaceful state