I imagine the wintertime depression thing affects more people than we imagine: After all, we can't just go around wringing our hands and saying "Woe is me, I'm depressed," because nobody wants to attend a pity party. We put on our happy faces and make it through winter, and yes, we do survive. For the most part, nobody even knows we had a problem with our moods.
I came across a blog post that helped me get things in perspective this morning: Click HERE. Did reading the article help my mood? Not really, but it makes me realize there are worse things than being a little "down-in-the-dumps".
I wish I had a dollar for everybody who has suggested over the years that I get a fancy-schmancy light therapy lamp. Well, Houston, we have a problem or two with that.
Yeah, the house was built in the early 1900's, back when all you needed was a place to plug in your radio and maybe a lamp or two. In this kind of situation, you quickly learn which appliances and electric-powered items use the most "juice": Around here, we don't run the vacuum, watch TV, and use the microwave simultaneously. Choose one, or sometimes two, but never all three, or else you'll be running to the fusebox to turn the power back on.
This, by the way, is not a "pity me" post. We've made weird choices around here in how we spend our money. We could have done without some things and re-wired the house, I'm sure. We're just not "house" people, so home maintenance is at the bottom of our list. Maybe it isn't even ON our list! We preferred to build a shop and buy cows and horses and computers and tractors and motorcycles. Notice I'm listing both our indulgences, not just Cliff's. As long as we have a place to sleep and cook, we're fine.
I'm just keeping it real, and chuckling as I do so.
If left to my own devices I'd hibernate all winter, others won't let me do so. I know I have the SAD disease and I can relate the the wiring in old houses too.
ReplyDeleteI get to feeling that way about January through February after holidays. Vitamin D is supposed to help women. I also think the B6 and B12 vitamins do too. I can tell a difference when I don't take them. My muscles can too just as much as my mentality!
ReplyDeleteWe suffer from a shortage of outlets too and SAD and when the bottom falls out of our world like it did this week then SAD is compounded. This too will pass
ReplyDeleteHaha...your household electrical plugs look like mine!! I too have to figure out which thing to use at which time or I will have to go to the box in my living room and flip the switch back on.
ReplyDeleteWow - all the plug-ins under your computer desk look exactly like mine! I have so many things plugged in that I'm afraid one day it will all blow up.
ReplyDeleteI can strongly identify with your winter depression. I'm always lethargic and unmotivated in the winter. Hell,come to think of it, I'm unmotivated and lethargic in the summer, too......
I can also identify with you lack of people skills. Ever since I moved to Texas - and especially after my parents died - I have become hermitized. I just don't have the time or energy to socialize. (I'm sure part of it is due to the fact that I'm older, and also because I presently live in the middle of nowhere). I've become a completely different person than I was during my wild gregarious Hollywood years.
Sorry for the long comment.....
I'll never forget the first time Jesse turned on the microwave at our old drafty house in FL. As I sat there in the dark, all I heard was "Sorryyyyy..." hee hee... from then on, we were always pretty aware of how many things we could run at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI have mild SAD, but take meds, and it doesn't bother me too much. Some days though, despite all, I have a bit of a shutdown. Thankfully my family know what's going on and are supportive, and it doesn't last long. An older friend of mine, who does do the light therapy, and for whom it doesn't really work, joined Facebook a few years ago at the suggestion of her husband, and she says that actually helped a bit. But what helped her the most was her new grandson and spending a lot of time babysitting him. So maybe Baby Cora will be a big help to you when things get a bit dark.
ReplyDeleteWe love you Donna!
I missed your earlier post somehow. They call winter depression "cabin fever" in some places.
ReplyDeleteYour outlet situation reminds me of Green Acres. Our house in Anchorage was built in the late '70s and it didn't have enough outlets either.
I swear it looks like you took a picture under my desk, with all those cords. our house is 60 years old we have the same problem you do.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate the long hot summers here I don't think I could take the being cooped up so much of the time.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have reliable smoke alarms. :) Seriously, that's some overloaded wiring. I like winter because I enjoy reading and hibernating, but I have some depressed times too. (especially now)The keys are that you are self-aware and move on from your feelings, rather than wallowing in them. Winter is temporary after all.
ReplyDeleteIf we die, we die. We do have smoke alarms, though.
ReplyDeleteWell geez Louise... everything is not ON at the same time.... geez.
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