Weather-related depression? (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia: rentals, homes, living)

[magrack]

Originally Posted by M TYPE X

Top metro areas in the US for winter depression are Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Seattle. Source: WSJ

In the case of Cleveland it's probably not the weather.






All you Buckeyes relax.It was an attempt to bring a little levity to the thread...I have nothing against Cleveland.

[magrack]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

I'm from So Cal - Santa Monica, and then moved to Sacramento (and yes, I loved it there) I moved up here 3 years ago. I was one of those people who loved drizzly rainy days and clouds but now I might have SAD? I don't know but I'm going to some DRs and a therapist now, and they want me to take 5HTP. SO to live here I have to be drugged and in therapy - NICE! I want out - but it's hard convincing my husband. It would really do a number on our family

PLsu people don't interact with other here - it's gets cold and NO ONE goes out. It's very very lonely here - and very very confining. I'm used to going bike riding (NOT HILLS) for 10 months of the year - here you get about 6 weeks of weather over 70 degrees! It's nuts.

Interestingly my 5 year old born in CAL, is not effected at all!

Have you tried a light box?

If not, talk to your Dr about possible benefits, or buy 4 or 5 shop light fixtures, screw them to a piece of plywood, install "cool white" type tubes and sit in front of it every day for about a half an hour. In the morning, when you're reading the PI would be a good time.

Cheap to build, cheap to run.

If you don't suffer from SAD, it will do you no harm and you won't be out a bunch of money.

[M TYPE X]

I love Cleveland jokes!

[mayfair]

The effect of the gray has been cumulative for me as well (a couple of decades). Last time we took a trip east my heart just sank when we crossed the Casacades back home into the damp gloom- and it was summer LOL.

I am an active person- not weak- hike, jog, bike all year-round in any weather. I am out there when rain is coming sideways and my hands are soaked in freezing wet gloves. I do not give up! But its like a slow death via gloom and grayness.

I am debating if there is a way to make this area work better for me or is time to move?

[heidinbend]

Oh thanks goodness... I posted a thread aobut this same thing in the Oregon Forum! I cant stand this crappy gray gloom anymore! I grew up here and WILL NEVER get used to it.

[AZ_singlemother]

Originally Posted by KirbyJRT

That's blasphemy There is no such thing as too much sun.

I'm a Tacoma native and being in Arizona for the last five years is wearing me down. Where's the rain? 300+ days of sun can drive anyone crazy.

[KirbyJRT]

Hey, you can always go visit the rain Given the choice between the two of them, I'd choose the sea sick crocodile..... Kidding.

I'd rather have consistent sun. I thought Arizona has rain around this time of year. Isn't this the desert bloom season?

[CityGirl72]

Another thing about this weather - I'm sick all the time. I have never in my life had an eye infection or sinus infection (in the ER twice!) or lung infection...and just a constant yuck feeling because it just never warms up here and the dampness is killing me.

Unlike the previous poster who will bike and hike in the rain - I will not, for fear of geting sick yet again - I stay in my house til it's at least 70 degrees for a week or more...which won't happen until July

[LeavingFlorida05]

There is such a thing as too much sun. It's called skin cancer! :P I'm kidding, of course. I'm in south Florida right now, and when we have an overcast day, I LOVE it. I wish we had more. I can actually go outside without either squinting or wearing sunglasses. I think we've had about 5 overcast days in 2007, so far.

As others have said, too much of anything can become overwhelming, whether it's overcast or sunny.

[escapetacoma]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

Unlike the previous poster who will bike and hike in the rain - I will not, for fear of geting sick yet again - I stay in my house til it's at least 70 degrees for a week or more...which won't happen until July

You might be surprised - we've had weeks like that in May before. Let's see, the last one that I remember would have been in, I think, 1992

Personally I don't mind the temperatures at all - the place we're moving to will be much colder in the winter and that doesn't bother me a bit. The gray and damp, though, are so depressing that I finally told my wife last year that I was moving, she was invited to move to but if her job was more important then so be it. She opted to move.