It’s basically one continuous city up and down the east coast USA.
From Boston to DC, you won’t be seeing too many farms on the Amtrak or I-95 unless you miss an exit or botch a connection.
And even if you did somehow manage to run into a farm, it probably experienced its heyday sometime around 200 years ago and has since been converted into a private landing strip.
But that’s neither here nor there because where there’s a city (in this case a megalopolis), there’s people. And there’s one common ground people share in this neck of the woods (believe it or not).
We all live through six months of questionable weather over the course of the year. And some of those months are downright cold, even miserable.
Seasonal depression
That said, it’s not uncommon for seasonal depression to set in. Even those with the “toughest” skin face the difficult situation of battling the elements until April. And it sneaks up on us when we’re most vulnerable.
We live a certain way when it’s warm out, and that lifestyle is gone once the weather turns. Winter activities take a lot more energy, and each person looks for energy in different places. One might say creating the right environment to thrive is the simple answer, but it’s never really that easy.
For instance, alcohol seems to make things more tolerable during the winter months. I’m guessing cigarettes probably do too. But how dependent should we become on these particular behaviors? What kind of habits are we forming? Should we rely on certain negative behaviors to carry us through several months of the year?
Of course certain small pleasures offer a glimpse of hope. However, success is often found in choosing long-term payoff over short term gain. For those of us who struggle with this condition, we’re left to ponder the question:
Is there anything real we can do about seasonal depression?
Get back to the basics
In my opinion, the main battle against seasonal depression happens in January and February. The holidays were fun, but they’re gone and Valentine’s Day just isn’t enough to look forward too.
In March, warmer weather is right around the corner leaving just enough room for hope to spring eternal.
As confusing as any situation can become when you’re looking for real answers, it might be better to take a step back instead of pushing forward. Starting with the basics is a good idea when you can’t find the right solution.
Hopeless feelings, lack of energy, lack of sleep, loss of interest, and difficulty concentrating are all signs of seasonal depression. It’s not good to battle these signs alone.
That said, certain people cope with seasonal depression by leaning on friends to get them through. Others increase their exercise output. Some invest in a creative indoor lighting situation.
It’s also probably a good time to consider healthier forms of nutrition so we don’t have to backtrack come April. And we shouldn’t be glued to our iPhone’s all day so we can sleep better at night.
Best of luck.