Are you successfully living here with SAD? Or is it just better to move (seriously). (Seattle: school, bus)

[new_to_town]

Originally Posted by Kayela

Consider checking out Boulder as well. It's closer to the mountains, so you get a little more in the way of evergreens - it doesn't seem quite as brown as Denver gets. The hiking trails start practically at the edge of town, and there is also the Boulder reservoir which offers some lovely water recreation. There are a number of employers there, and in nearby Longmont, and also a large college that offers quite a bit in the way of opportunity. Even if the opportunities are better in Denver - it's worth visiting.

Quite frankly with each post you sound more miserable. If a change in scenery is what you need, then so be it. I've lived here long enough to see plenty of people who truly can't cope with the lack of light, and I'm sorry to say, but they generally don't seem to get better if they try to stick it out.

A trial run in a new place seems like a great step if you have the means to do so.

I'm not sure what you mean with each post I sound more miserable, because actually with each 'recent' post I'm sounding better because I'm away from Seattle, though it was a bit cloudy where I am this morning and I actualy felt an aversion to it.

I've a friend who lives in Boulder, but said there's no jobs. I've visited, it's great, but I'm also looking at the job (and housing) market. Some have said Colorado Springs is nice, too so I'm going to look there as well.

[west seattle gal]

I think London has the same reputation for drizzle and cloud cover. SAD is a big deal in Scandinavian countries due to the lack of light in winter. I'm sure Seattle is not singled out. If you live in the US and are looking for a place to relocate, you focus on our states. Minneapolis also is known to have extreme weather, the SE is humid, Arizona has dry heat, etc...In fact, just about every state is characterized by weather because that is what people are concerned with in choosing a home ( in addition to the economy, schools, infrastructure, culture, etc...). SAD is only a problem in dark and overcast areas, and of course not unique to Seattle. But definitely a problem for those prone to SAD.

[new_to_town]

Well, it doesn't really matter to me about people living in Europe and what their options may or may not be, I focus on the here and now and what I am able to do. I am glad I have worked hard enough in my lifetime to give myself options to move if I want or need to, to find a place more suitable, since other treatments don't seem to be working. Depression is a medical issue and so isn't just a "frame of mind" or something that should just be "sucked up", so I'm glad I have the resources to move somewhere else with more light that can cure the issue.

[seattlerain]

I look forward to summer here in Seattle, however Reverse SAD puts a damper on my excitement.

[new_to_town]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

I look forward to summer here in Seattle, however Reverse SAD puts a damper on my excitement.

Yes I think Seattle would be good for people with reverse SAD. I don't have that nor know of anyone that does, but I've read about it. Summer would not be good for anyone with this but at least in Seattle the summers are shorter.

My sister and her husband moved to Seattle from Phoenix. They could not stand Phoenix, anything about it, and now have an aversion to sunny days as a result. They love the climate in Seattle.

I think there is a place that works for every person as an individual we just need to find it.

[observer]

Well, escaping the Florida heat is why I have been spending about a month or so In Seattle during the summer time over the last 3 years.

It is interesting that when I arrived to Seattle around mid June 2 years ago many of the locals that I know were complaining about the never ending spring. That year according to locals and farmers, the seasonal changes were about 3-4 weeks behind. So even in late June they were getting tempereatures that is typical in late May. Anyways, being that I was visiting from Florida and already having experienced quite a few 90 degree days up to that point, I welcomed the overcast and cool days of temperatures ranging from the low to mid 50's- low to upper 60's. I believe that in the last 2.5 weeks of June the temperatures may have reached 70 or above no more than 5 times if that. Interestingly enough, when the sun would shine and it was bright, I did not like it at all. However, I was use to plenty of sunshine and welcomed the change.

Even though temperatures in the 50s and 60s was comforting for me in June, I am not sure I would like to live in Seattle year round just for that same reason, temperatures requiring a jacket or sweater 9-10 months out of the year. Getting a break from the heat and sunshine is one thing, having to deal with overcast, lack of sunshine, and cool/cold weather at least 75% of the year is another thing. Who knows, maybe if I was to live in Seattle I may not mind, but I think I may get tired of the constant cool and cloudy days most of the year.

Summers in Seattle though is the best. I do not think I would like to spend July anywhere else but Seattle. Hopefully, I will be returning this summer again and spending all of July in the area.

[new_to_town]

Yeah, I agree the summers are great, I used to love visiting my sister in the summertime and escaping the heat/humidity of the brutal Midwest summers, especially last summer, with 100+ degrees and 100% humidity, it would be in the 70s and gorgeous in Seattle.

However, sometimes I would wonder if for me it's be both a bonus and a bane - that the summers would be too cool for me overall. I think I'd miss driving to the lake with all the windows down and jumping in on a hot summer day, not just sometimes (70s to me is still too cool to really go swim in a lake). It's something I like to do frequently - or open water swim train for triathlons without always having to wear a wetsuit. People will say you can do that in Seattle, I've no doubt on some days, you can, but I'm talking about regularly. I'm not sure how big the triathlon scene is in Seattle overall, as I've not been there that long.

[observer]

I agree with you about the whole swimming thing. Beautiful views of water, but to damn cold to go swimming in. Now running is another story. One thing I absolutely love about summers in Seattle is that I can pretty much go running at any time of the day.

Not that I am an avid runner, but I go running about 3x a week. See, in Florida I go running in the summer time between 7-8PM. Or, if it is in the morning some time before 10AM, at times before 11AM but even at 11AM most mornings it is uncomfortably hot and humid. In Seattle is a whole different story. I can comfortably run in Seattle at 9AM, 12noon, 3PM, 5PM, 8PM, it does not really matter. I also spend much more time outdoors in Seattle in the summer than I would in Florida in the summer. In Florida it is just too uncomfortably hot. I am not one to sweat easy, but I can go outside in Florida in the middle of a hot summer day and just stand there and not do anything and be sweating in 5 minutes.

[new_to_town]

Yep, I actually am an avid runner, it's one of the reasons I moved to Seattle. Many people think 40's and overcast is bad weather but physiologically it's the best for running especially distance running. I love, love love running in that weather. I used to train in the Midwest heat and then go run half marathons with my friends in Scotland and I'd always PR because of the cool grey weather. Also you don't have much ice (typically) to run on in the winter in Seattle (the two conditions I dislike running in the most are extreme heat or freezing rain). If I choose Denver I need to run early mornings in the summer, but oh well, I'm a morning person anyway and run mornings typically. If I run too late in the day I actually get insomnia.

In the Midwest I felt disgusted when I'd wake up to go run at 4:30 AM and it'd still be 82 with 100% humidity and no moving air. *sigh* But notice I had the energy to do so. When I had SAD it could be perfect outside and I felt so tired and depressed - not wanting to do the things I normally found enjoyable or even had the energy to - that I would skip my run many times, and have to push myself to workout in general, which for me is VERY odd, strange in fact.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by hello_im_sean

Yes and unfortunatley most people tend to crowd to the sunnier places jacking up living costs and ruining the environment. *cough* California *cough*

What?

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