Seasonal Depression Is Coming. Take a Shower, Hug a Friend, and Get Some Sunshine

More and more often the clouds roll in, blocking the sun’s rays from sight. The sparkle of the changing leaves has now dimmed and a light jacket is no longer sufficient. Michigan is reported to get only ten days of sunlight in the winter months. That’s from November to February. This causes spikes in depression amongst most people and apparently, you can blame Mercury’s passing retrograde for any imbalance in your energy, emotions, or level of productivity.

I began my day on the floor staring at the ceiling. The tiny grooves of plaster seemed to be the only thing to keep my attention. But I knew that below the seemingly innocent endeavor of laying on the ground was a gloom that would not allow me to do anything else.

So there I laid in the early afternoon. Unbathed. Unfed. No thoughts. I kept the thoughts away because I knew what would come with them. Tears. Negative self-talk telling me that I’m being lazy and that I should be writing, or reading, or anything other than what I was doing really. Depression would set in.

I’ve struggled with depression and seasonal affective disorder for many years. I know when it’s coming, I know all the signs. Some years it barely shows itself when I’m in places that have more sunlight. Other years, as grey rules the sky…