Dear diary,
Does anyone else suffer from SAD?! AKA Seasonal Affective Disorder. I think every person in the Midwest gets it--at least to some extent. It is a form of depression triggered by seasonal changes, from Fall through Winter. And then you're magically OK by Spring. If you're still depressed by the time Spring comes around then you need professional help. Also, I am going to preface this by saying I am not a healthcare professional and you should absolutely 10000% not listen to me because I don't know wtf I am talking about half the time. *Insert warnings and side effects read by happy lady at the end of commercial, as a group of young healthy, attractive, happy people are smiling and dancing on screen* --OK but forreal, let's talk about those commercials. They advertise an antidepressant or some type of medicine that will help you feel happy, normal or whatever feeling you're chasing and then they list all the side effects and they're like "effects may include, suicidal thoughts, pooping yourself, stabbing your cousin because he ate the last cupcake, unexpected bar fights, you may grow wings or fangs, dry mouth, severe weight gain, you may go blind--BUT YOU WON'T BE DEPRESSED ANYMORE!" I mean, I get it. Trust me, I get it. Antidepressants actually helped me get out of a really deep depressive hole when I had postpartum depression after having my son, 7 years ago. I didn't want to become dependant, so I stopped taking them, but they actually did help me a lot so I can't say anything negative about them. But again, I am only speaking from my own personal experience. It is not ideal for me to take antidepressants every Fall/Winter so for the past couple of years I have found ways to relieve my SAD bitch disorder.
- First, I make sure to go on a walk/run outside every day. Even if it's a short walk! It's really nice because no one is outside so it feels like you have the outside to yourself. I invested in warm running gear that is weather resistant and it has made a huge difference. My temp cutoff for walking outside is 13 degrees--I cannot handle anything below that!
- I go tanning for about 5 minutes every week
- I take Vitamin D every single day
- I try to stay sober as much as possible. Drinking alcohol really messes with my serotonin levels and that also contributes to feelings of anxiety and depression
- this is a year-long habit for me but it helps a lot during the winter: staying away from bullshit
This is what has helped me immensely in previous years. I think it is super important to figure out what works best for you if you do have SAD bitch disorder. I hope this season is good to us all!
XOXO,
Alejandra