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Absolute_Zero
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25 Dec 2004, 10:39 pm

Everyone please recognize that in the northern hemispere right now, there are many environmental factors that will raise the possibility of depression.

There is currently about 9 hours of daylight where I am located. Most of North America, England, Europe and Russia share a similar situation right now. This lack of daylight will be quite prominent from November to February. The lack of light plays a major role in occurance of depression and anger in many people over the winter. There are far more relationship breakups in the winter. People are far more likely to become angry and irritated during the winter. If you recognize that the environment may make you a little more grouchy than normal, you might just not take common desputes/arguements so seriously.

The other factor is the temperature. The colder temperatures are a plague for many people. The ones who endure the best are the ones who manage to utilize the conditions for their benefit. Winter sports like skating, skiing and coasting play a major role in keeping folks happy.
If you are one who is more likely to keep clear of the cold then you are going to get depressed easier. Some people just simply can't put up with the cold due to body pains. These people stay happy by keeping busy.

Keeping busy and accomplishing things, from simple every day chores to working out life's mysteries, will usually ensure a good overall state of mind. This is by no means any kind of complete depression solution/prevention but it helps with a good deal of it!

Merry Christmas everyone!

,Steve



letsGoBlues
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25 Dec 2004, 11:51 pm

I hear you. I lived in Fl for 11 years. 1991-2002. So moving back to St. Louis was a shock. I mean I was not used to the cold wx for so long. I hate the cold up here the last two years but at least I could go to the Blues games in the winter. Of course with the strike this season its just plain miserable. Summer is my Favorite time cause its warm and because of hurricane season. I loved summer in FL cause I like hurricanes.


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Katana
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27 Dec 2004, 8:27 pm

You may well be interested in reading this then!

www.sada.org.uk wrote:
SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a type of winter depression that affects an estimated half a million people every Winter between September and April, in particular during December, January and February.

It is caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to the shortening of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in winter.

For many people SAD is a seriously disabling illness, preventing them from functioning normally without continuous medical treatment.

For others, it is a mild but debilitating condition causing discomfort but not severe suffering. We call this subsyndromal SAD or 'winter blues.'


One way of combatting this effect is by using a 'lightbox' and just by sitting in front of these for 1-2hrs a day can really improve you view on life! And yes, us peeps in the UK are on the same lattitude (I think!) as New York in the US. So anyone further north than NY will also get this sort of effect too.

More info at www.sada.org.uk



duncvis
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27 Dec 2004, 9:40 pm

I posted on this yesterday but the post is elsewhere so I'll chip in again :?

Currently in the UK we have 6-7 hours of daylight depending on latitude (I am at around 54' North) and SAD is a problem for quite a lot of people me included.

I find dark cloudy November and up to the winter solstice hard, by then I seem to have adjusted to the lack of light and have more energy and less depressive behaviours - the colder brighter weather after doesn't bother me. I like winter but wish I didn't have 4-6 weeks of crap to drag myself through first....

Dunc


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duncvis
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28 Dec 2004, 2:12 pm

I moved this thread from romantic relationships as it seems to be of more general interest - hope no one minds.

Dunc


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CockneyRebel
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01 Jan 2005, 1:47 am

I think that the short days and long nights affect me. Also, the tree comes down and the lights are packed away , untill the next Christmas. The weather seems to have an effect on peoples moods. The moods of the people around me affect my own moods directley, when it's dark and wet outside. If one person in my Parent's House is angery than that mood spreads to everyone. There's also a long wait, before I see the Spring Flowers in bloom. I've also had a lot of Relatives die over the course of the Winter months. There was even a year that two of my Relatives died in the same month. We even had a Family Friend pass away in the Winter, the week after New Years Day. I remember it being in February. But life goes on and I must roll with the punches in order to survive.



Mel
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01 Jan 2005, 11:09 am

It might seem strange but I always feel better in the autumn and winter. I have sensitivity to light and during the spring and summer the number of migraines I get increases dramatically. I burn far to easily in the sun (even with factor 40 sun screen 15 minutes in the sun is too much for me) and I seem to have an allergy to sunlight (get a strange rash).
When its bright outside I almost get blinded and the light seems to be bouncing on ever surface. I do get this occasionally in the winter, on bright frosty days, but no where near as often as I do in the summer.

On a brighter note for those who are suffering from SAD- the days are already getting longer :)

Mel


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