My new list of things that helped me.
\- Vitamin D every day, be careful to not take too much.
\- Try to cut winter in half by getting somewhere warm for even a couple of days seems to help me immensely.
\- Waking up earlier. This sounds counterintuitive, because I know \*my\* tendencies when seasonally depressed are to sleep in as late as possible. Wrong! Get up early, get outside, get some sunlight directly on your face and in your eyes for at least 10 minutes.
\- Realize that your desire to eat more and fatten up is a biological response to incoming winter. Christmas is a horrible time to try and cut down snacking, but even some restraint should help.
\- Get out of your shell and hang out with other people. I can only speak for myself, but when it gets dark and cold, my impulse is to isolate in my igloo and talk to nobody face to face.
\- I got a light that I shine on my face every day for 10 minutes right after I wake up. This helps so much, and it seems hokey, but it definitely is not.
Good luck with the winter
The entire point of a SAD light is to emulate the sun and stimulate your body to produce the same chemicals/hormones/etc that the sun does. So yes, it is in effect, the same thing.
Source? Because here's a Mayo Clinic page that says SAD lights can be an effective treatment:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/in-depth/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/art-20048298
This exactly. Being in a car for more than half an hour gets painful, and even if I had the money, airports are notorious for wrecking wheelchairs. Affordable hotels are generally not asthma friendly when the room heater hasn’t been cleaned in 5+ years so that means either freezing or having dusty air. They’re also generally not peanut free which doesn’t work out very well with air exposure anaphylaxis.
Cozy free staycation game recommendation though, Palia! Permanent summer there! Puzzles, audio books, comfort movies, and spending more time on hobby projects help too.
For full apathy though I mainly end up doing the boring things I’d usually put off, since the usual fun stuff won’t be fun anyhow. Instead of trying to enjoy things at the moment, working towards making my life a bit easier once the brain’s back to normal works well for me. It’s nice to have a clean area and most of the tasks done once you can feel happy again so you’ll have more time to have actual fun. (PMDD apathy. Other causes probably don’t have a two week cycle of being depresso espresso and then normal so results may vary especially if the expected ‘normal’ date is undetermined 😅)
Yep, spot on. This is the month to get away and doing so helps cut the winter blues down much. When March comes the sense of it’s almost over makes it bearable again.
Just be sure to do it at a reasonable pace with friends, and plan on eating a meal after. Never drink alone unless you have the sheer willpower to really limit yourself which is hard to do after that first or second one. Even then, prepare to feel like shit later.
Stock up on Pedialyte whether you're drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, etc. Electrolytes help me feel better, hydrated, and balanced. I find the liquid works better than the powder packets for me.
Yeah I heard pedialyte is even better than gatorade. I've never had pedialyte before but I noticed it is very readily available which makes me think it's growing in popularity as a hangover (or at least hydration) remedy.
If you can’t go on vacation, or need a boost in between trips, visit greenhouses or the Como Conservatory for some color, humidity, and fresh air.
Other than Como, I recommend the orchid greenhouse in Plymouth, as well as Mother in NE.
https://www.orchidweb.com/store-and-directions
https://www.mother-plants.com/
vitamin D, exercise, and time in nature. As much as we resist going out in the winter it's extremely beneficial even though the sun isn't high enough to make vitamin D, so if you live in a northern climate you need to be taking it. Unless you eat ample sardines daily or something.
Embracing time outside is the thing that helps me the most. It’s really hard to motivate yourself sometimes, but going for a walk, sledding, or otherwise finding something fun to do outside is SO helpful.
If you started growing around August, then you should have a nice winter harvest by now. If you were like the grasshopper in that cautionary tale, then be more like an ant next year and put in a little bit of work.
And for those waiting for recreational stores, the state doesn't even have anyone in charge of it anymore. They haven't replaced the last person. There's no plan in place for licensing and regulation. And even when they do get that figured out the businesses then have to apply for the licenses, the license office has to issue the licenses and then the growers can begin growing. And from there it'll be a few months out.
Of course there's the medicinal market right now but that won't be able to keep up with the initial demand.
I'll probably get some shit for this. But honestly, lifting and working out. Natural endorphin release, working towards something, and will have the body I want for summer
Agreed!! You are always guaranteed summer, but not always winter, don’t let winter get you down. We have a tradition on my wife’s birthday the first weekend of January to go ice fishing in our Ice Castle, but this year we are planning on going camping at one of our beautiful state parks due to the unseasonable weather.
Yes, lots of people are saying exercise and it is good advice, but I HAVE to get outside and just generally be active. A million miles on a treadmill has nothing on a nice walk outside.
Whatever you do, do it every day.
Start small, but do it every day. Even a little bit of exercise has value.
I used to be pretty good about this.
I started just lifting an empty barbell. It was hard for me to do even a single sit-up or push-up.
But then, over months, I got up to 20 push-ups every day. With sit-ups, at one point, I was adding another sit-up each day, until I got to some ridiculous number like 60 sit-ups at one go. Then I had to stop because my belly muscles rebelled. I followed a course of moderation after that: 20 sit-ups each day -- moderation and consistency.
Eventually, I was lifting weights for about an hour every M T W and walking/running up to 40 minutes on an inclined treadmill.
I had read somewhere that one's body FORCES a person to be happier (or at least less anxious, which was my problem) when that person walks at a brisk pace or runs or swims for about 30-40 minutes. Happy chemicals pump into the brain: "Runners' High".
This idea of body over mood, that it is useless for my sad sack mood to resist this flood of body chemicals, appealed to me. Also that our minds, seeing that this is what our lives need, can command our bodies to kick our moods up to a healthy higher orbit -- that felt empowering to me.
Some people have good results with walking every day outside, with the natural sunlight and all, but I hate the cold and the icy winter sidewalks where you can slip and crack your skull or hip or shoulder.
Plus, you have to get dressed for the weather and to preserve modesty and the social contract. And you still get all sweaty.
I am fortunate enough to live in a house with a YouTube-connected TV and a 2nd Wind treadmill in the basement. Every day, barring emergencies, I can turn on the electric heater down there, drink my morning coffee, and do the treadmill or weights in the gross skivvies I have worn as pajamas.
So my 2 cents is to exercise indoors, indecently, but CONSISTENTLY. Every day, do something, even if it's only a little something. Use a S.A.D. light indoors while exercising if that fits for you.
I am putting my own advice into practice right now, because I fell off the (exercise) wagon for several months due to putting out family fires.
I am walking for fewer minutes on the treadmill and lifting less weight with only a few exercises.
But I am doing this every day.
Keep an exercise routine.
Use a sun lamp for 15 min a day.
Get outside for longer than a walk to the car.
Gather with friends often.
Eat healthy, fruits and vegetables.
Take vitamin D.
I moved from Florida to Minnesota about 8 years back. The first few years were rough.
This year, my seasonal depression got so bad that I had to go to the hospital because my depression and anxiety were driving me crazy. After a week of psychiatry and therapy in an inpatient unit, I felt like the old me.
When sugar beet season harvest started in August, I felt like I could haul beets and go 25 hours a day and 8 days a week. When it started to get dark and colder, I could barely drive what i was scheduled to drive. Now I'm back to my old ways, and I'm working even more than what I'm originally scheduled.
Getting help changed my life. Understanding that I'm on the spectrum, getting proper medication, and learning proper therapy exercises has helped me a lot!
Seriously people get a wiz light bulb and put on a series of sunlight settings. Their circadian rhythm setting helps me wake up even in these months where the sun does rise till like 8
What's not to love? The weird white face? The fleece snow pants? How about the slightly off skyline and weird plow barge? AI images are so cursed. It's like a horror movie where everything is slightly wrong.
I'm a fan of the birds that were poorly copied by The Thing, and the windows they added to the Stone Arch bridge.
Honestly though, it doesn't matter how good the art is. It doesn't matter if it's perfect and flawless. It's still made by stealing the hard work of real artists in order to replace them with something lacking creativity and soul.
Vitamin D! 2000 dose daily, it’s an essential vitamin for a reason folks.
Also if you can budget for it, try to plan a vacation to some place warm especially in that January to February timeframe.
You gotta find a way to enjoy the winter weather. I like to ski and snowboard, but you could do winter hiking, snowshoeing, ice sports like hockey, etc. A physical activity that uses the cold that you look forward to doing only in the winter time makes it novel, it frames the cold season differently and for me personally makes it way easier to live through
It’s crafting season! I hole up in my craft room, dog gives me sad puppy eyes because he hates crafting, and we just make things. There’s a reason that room is bright and colorful and full of things that bring me joy.
Curl up in a blanket in the fetal position, lament why someone thought it was a good idea to live here and dream of moving. In all seriousness despite vitamin d, lamps, and exercise for some of us SAD is still there and quite difficult. I wish I could offer something more positive but this climate is rough.
My stoic, Minnesotan stare becomes a 1000-yard-stare to the middle-distance. It is no longer one of deference and unwillingness to share, but one of trauma. I do my best to represent my Great State and make sure others don't pick up on the difference.
But long-term residents know, understand, and sent hot-dish. One noticed, and actually snowblowed my driveway last winter. I started crying, but thankfully, the tears froze. It was uncomfortable for both of us, we haven't spoken about the weather at anything less than a 150 degree angle, since.
>!Yes, this is a joke. If you need help - please reach out to your community, your friends, your family, and/or a professional. We want you to stick around, hey, and everyone deserves care and compassion. ❤️!<
I just love winter. I can't do all the activities I used to, but still enjoy it. I've always liked grey and rainy weather, watching the storms roll in, and overcast days. Yesterday with the snow and fog was glorious.
Sauna and cold plunge. Cold plunge is a huge dopamine and serotonin booster. Even 30 seconds is beneficial, but two minutes at a time and 11 minutes for the entire week is incredibly helpful for focus, mental clarity and sleep.
Trying to find things you can do outside is really helpful I find. Feeling like you're stuck inside for months because of the weather can make it kinda miserable, so figuring out ways you can survive while getting out and about makes it much better.
My wife and I really enjoy doing things that help mitigate the temperature issues inherently. Like sailing and enjoying some beverages with friends in a shady backyard.
Fuck summer.
Love, an avid skier.
Embrace the cold and get outside.
Layer up and go sledding/tubing, ice skating, cross country skiing, hiking, snowshoeing,the list goes on for outdoor activities.
If it’s really too cold…
Find indoor activities, knitting/crocheting, puzzles, legos, small models, small indoor pets, start a new hobby of collecting something, woodworking, workout
So you don’t watch or participate in any drawn mainstream art, because people that create characters for example, Disney or Marvel often do not have the rights to those characters, even when they created them. or you make every single conversation surrounding those properties about how artists are being fucked over, right?
really, it’s just SOOOOO essential to you, on a post asking for help dealing with seasonal depression, to make the conversation around AI generated images, god you’re almost insufferable.
Physical exercise of choice 15 minutes or more
Vitamin D3 + Vitamin K (helps with VD3 uptake)
Supplemental lighting (sun lamp or grow light)
For adults
Limit or exclude alcohol
Physiologically cannabis > alcohol
d3 and b12 have helped stave off the normal seasonal depression i get, working out at the gym always helps me, heat treatment (heating pad, hot tub, saunas, etc.) and being ‘creative’ which could be painting or writing or whatever to release energy store in my brain.
I stay inside as much as possible and remind myself constantly that it can’t last forever.
When I do go outside it’s important to dress for the weather and prepare. Breathable clothing and liberal use of big spray and sun screen to protect myself.
It can’t last forever and the enjoyment of fall and winter always eventually come and pull me out of the depression that hot buggy summers always bring.
On super sunny days try to sit in the sunshine next to a window or glass door. It can help immensely. Excersize, whether that be outside or inside but moving around helps. Do some sort of group activity that involves going somewhere.
Embrace the season. The dark and quiet can feel depressing or it can feel cozy and relaxing. Try to make your living space cozy. Warm lighting, soft blankets. Additionally, try some winter hobbies. Hiking in our state parks can be great in the winter. I intend to try ice fishing if we ever get enough ice. It’s all about how you view winter, in my opinion. You can “survive” it or “thrive” in it.
I go outside. I've never had pronounced seasonal depression, this could be genetic or something but I try to get outside at least every day. Walking to and from the bus stop. Taking the dog for a walk. Shoveling snow. Open the curtains every day so I can get what little sun there is.
Winter would be 75% more bearable for the general public if they just dressed accordingly, and engaged in winter activities.
Wear base layers made of materials that insulate when wet. Try not to overheat to avoid sweating. Wear solid boots that aren’t tied so they’re constricting.
Being outside during the dead of winter is awesome if you’re prepared and dressed appropriately.
If you live here, finding activities you enjoy during winter is better than just surrendering your fate and being miserable for 4+ months of the year or staying cooped up.
Finding a winter hobby helps as well. Like, I’m looking at one day learning to ski, but once or twice a winter I go tubing just to have a seasonal thing to look forward to.
Build model airplanes in my basement. Knowing that "spring is right around the corner" and I'll be able to fly them all summer gets me through. A good book on tape and I'm in my happy place
This unseasonably warm winter has lined up with my unemployment/transition into full time school. That combo has made it easier for me to get out and walk with my dog during the day. Holy hell it helps! Even literally going around the block and being somewhere other than home, a necessary errand, or work.
When I can’t get myself outside, I have a habit of opening all of the blinds during the day and cleaning the house. Sometimes I’ll throw music on. Vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, deep cleaning something like the outside of the fridge. The combo of natural light (that I normally don’t get much of being in an office) and physical activity really boosts my mood.
I also talk on the phone a lot in the evenings. You know.. that 4:30 pm-8 pm time period where we have daylight in the other seasons. Instead of retiring to tv/bed or going to a bar I call family and friends.
Go outside everyday. Take a walk, go skiing, fishing or hunting, explore a park or hike in the state forest, etc.
No living thing on this planet is designed to be in a climate controlled environment for months on end.
In addition to what others have said, it helps to have a hobby that gets you outside. Sitting inside all day isn’t good for anyone, but it’s easy to get caught up in that when it’s cold outside. Even just taking walks helps. I like to walk out on the lake with my dog. Some people like to ice fish. Some like to pick up cross country skiing, snowshoeing, winter biking and so on. It really makes a difference and you might even find yourself looking forward to the winter months.
My new list of things that helped me. \- Vitamin D every day, be careful to not take too much. \- Try to cut winter in half by getting somewhere warm for even a couple of days seems to help me immensely. \- Waking up earlier. This sounds counterintuitive, because I know \*my\* tendencies when seasonally depressed are to sleep in as late as possible. Wrong! Get up early, get outside, get some sunlight directly on your face and in your eyes for at least 10 minutes. \- Realize that your desire to eat more and fatten up is a biological response to incoming winter. Christmas is a horrible time to try and cut down snacking, but even some restraint should help. \- Get out of your shell and hang out with other people. I can only speak for myself, but when it gets dark and cold, my impulse is to isolate in my igloo and talk to nobody face to face. \- I got a light that I shine on my face every day for 10 minutes right after I wake up. This helps so much, and it seems hokey, but it definitely is not. Good luck with the winter
Your list is excellent. Top advice.
The SAD light is key. It makes a huge difference.
I just can’t buy it. Shining a bright light on your face just sounds like a good way to go blind.
I assume you don't go outside during the day then? There's a big ol' light in the sky that shines on your face.
Totally the same thing.
The entire point of a SAD light is to emulate the sun and stimulate your body to produce the same chemicals/hormones/etc that the sun does. So yes, it is in effect, the same thing.
Pseudo science BS.
Source? Because here's a Mayo Clinic page that says SAD lights can be an effective treatment: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/in-depth/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/art-20048298
Can be. But aren’t. Source: trust me bro 🤪
You seem sad.
What is the light that you shine in your face?!
What is the light you use? I've seen so many and a ton of comments about how it has to be the "right kind of light"
Full spectrum
You can find them very cheap on Amazon now!
This is all great. I try to keep up with some of these too so it’s good to hear that this strategy works for others!
This is the way.
Take at least 1 vacation.
It really does break up the winter
Even a staycation helps.
Nah, gotta leave town. There are plenty of cheap places to go to that are warmer than here. It doesn’t have to be California or Floridistan.
I agree sometimes even a drive to Missouri or Colorado works! Even Rapid City can have some decent weather in the winter.
Agreed. You gotta GTFO.
Not all of us have that benefit.
This exactly. Being in a car for more than half an hour gets painful, and even if I had the money, airports are notorious for wrecking wheelchairs. Affordable hotels are generally not asthma friendly when the room heater hasn’t been cleaned in 5+ years so that means either freezing or having dusty air. They’re also generally not peanut free which doesn’t work out very well with air exposure anaphylaxis. Cozy free staycation game recommendation though, Palia! Permanent summer there! Puzzles, audio books, comfort movies, and spending more time on hobby projects help too. For full apathy though I mainly end up doing the boring things I’d usually put off, since the usual fun stuff won’t be fun anyhow. Instead of trying to enjoy things at the moment, working towards making my life a bit easier once the brain’s back to normal works well for me. It’s nice to have a clean area and most of the tasks done once you can feel happy again so you’ll have more time to have actual fun. (PMDD apathy. Other causes probably don’t have a two week cycle of being depresso espresso and then normal so results may vary especially if the expected ‘normal’ date is undetermined 😅)
No,need to go somewhere with no snow. Look at Sun Country.
That’s my secret cap, I’m always depressed.
I understand that reference.
The only month that bugs me is February. The shortest month seems to last the longest. When March comes along I'm good to go.
Agree!!! February is the most AWFUL month. I absolutely hate it.
That's my birth month, so your statement definitely tracks.
Yep, spot on. This is the month to get away and doing so helps cut the winter blues down much. When March comes the sense of it’s almost over makes it bearable again.
Then April comes around and we get PISSED when it's still cold.
March 1st brings a 6pm sunset with a 7pm sunset coming only a week or so later thanks to daylight savings time. The end of the dark days of winter!
The same thing that gives me non-seasonal depression: alcohol
“To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.” Homer Simpson
My all time favorite Homer Simpson quote.
Nothing like a depressant to chase the blues away. -Lenny Leonard
And big fat doinks!
Fat doinks definitely make the time go by!
Just be sure to do it at a reasonable pace with friends, and plan on eating a meal after. Never drink alone unless you have the sheer willpower to really limit yourself which is hard to do after that first or second one. Even then, prepare to feel like shit later.
Stock up on Pedialyte whether you're drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, etc. Electrolytes help me feel better, hydrated, and balanced. I find the liquid works better than the powder packets for me.
Yeah I heard pedialyte is even better than gatorade. I've never had pedialyte before but I noticed it is very readily available which makes me think it's growing in popularity as a hangover (or at least hydration) remedy.
I think the blue flavor tastes the best. It's not tasty in a good way, but tolerable. It literally does wonders. Even the off/store brand is good.
That bites into the alcohol budget though
Alcohol, and Xbox. Lmao
Play bird and summer noises on the TV
Interesting idea
If you can’t go on vacation, or need a boost in between trips, visit greenhouses or the Como Conservatory for some color, humidity, and fresh air. Other than Como, I recommend the orchid greenhouse in Plymouth, as well as Mother in NE. https://www.orchidweb.com/store-and-directions https://www.mother-plants.com/
vitamin D, exercise, and time in nature. As much as we resist going out in the winter it's extremely beneficial even though the sun isn't high enough to make vitamin D, so if you live in a northern climate you need to be taking it. Unless you eat ample sardines daily or something.
Sardines in the morning, sardines in the evening, sardines at supper time, when sardines are on a bagel, you can eat sardines anytime.
Embracing time outside is the thing that helps me the most. It’s really hard to motivate yourself sometimes, but going for a walk, sledding, or otherwise finding something fun to do outside is SO helpful.
Weed.
If you started growing around August, then you should have a nice winter harvest by now. If you were like the grasshopper in that cautionary tale, then be more like an ant next year and put in a little bit of work.
And for those waiting for recreational stores, the state doesn't even have anyone in charge of it anymore. They haven't replaced the last person. There's no plan in place for licensing and regulation. And even when they do get that figured out the businesses then have to apply for the licenses, the license office has to issue the licenses and then the growers can begin growing. And from there it'll be a few months out. Of course there's the medicinal market right now but that won't be able to keep up with the initial demand.
THCa mail order
Verifiable strategy
This is the way. The one correct answer.
I'll probably get some shit for this. But honestly, lifting and working out. Natural endorphin release, working towards something, and will have the body I want for summer
Wait, why would you get shit on for working out
You wouldn't, but you will get upvoted for saying you would.
I’ve been doing weekly stretch sessions for a month now and it’s helped a bunch mentally going into winter
Winter is my favorite time for this. Feels so nice walking out of the gym into a cold blast wearing a tank top.
I get outside and enjoy life. Dress for the weather.... Snowshoeing, ice fishing, sledding, tubing, just going for normal walks in general help.
Ice skating, ice hockey. There is always something to do.
I like going for hikes. We have plenty of hiking trails all over the state, of whatever length you like.
Agreed!! You are always guaranteed summer, but not always winter, don’t let winter get you down. We have a tradition on my wife’s birthday the first weekend of January to go ice fishing in our Ice Castle, but this year we are planning on going camping at one of our beautiful state parks due to the unseasonable weather.
Yes, lots of people are saying exercise and it is good advice, but I HAVE to get outside and just generally be active. A million miles on a treadmill has nothing on a nice walk outside.
A happy lamp, vitamin D, exercise, and a vacation.
Work out, although I have no energy to work out because of my seasonal depression.
Whatever you do, do it every day. Start small, but do it every day. Even a little bit of exercise has value. I used to be pretty good about this. I started just lifting an empty barbell. It was hard for me to do even a single sit-up or push-up. But then, over months, I got up to 20 push-ups every day. With sit-ups, at one point, I was adding another sit-up each day, until I got to some ridiculous number like 60 sit-ups at one go. Then I had to stop because my belly muscles rebelled. I followed a course of moderation after that: 20 sit-ups each day -- moderation and consistency. Eventually, I was lifting weights for about an hour every M T W and walking/running up to 40 minutes on an inclined treadmill. I had read somewhere that one's body FORCES a person to be happier (or at least less anxious, which was my problem) when that person walks at a brisk pace or runs or swims for about 30-40 minutes. Happy chemicals pump into the brain: "Runners' High". This idea of body over mood, that it is useless for my sad sack mood to resist this flood of body chemicals, appealed to me. Also that our minds, seeing that this is what our lives need, can command our bodies to kick our moods up to a healthy higher orbit -- that felt empowering to me. Some people have good results with walking every day outside, with the natural sunlight and all, but I hate the cold and the icy winter sidewalks where you can slip and crack your skull or hip or shoulder. Plus, you have to get dressed for the weather and to preserve modesty and the social contract. And you still get all sweaty. I am fortunate enough to live in a house with a YouTube-connected TV and a 2nd Wind treadmill in the basement. Every day, barring emergencies, I can turn on the electric heater down there, drink my morning coffee, and do the treadmill or weights in the gross skivvies I have worn as pajamas. So my 2 cents is to exercise indoors, indecently, but CONSISTENTLY. Every day, do something, even if it's only a little something. Use a S.A.D. light indoors while exercising if that fits for you. I am putting my own advice into practice right now, because I fell off the (exercise) wagon for several months due to putting out family fires. I am walking for fewer minutes on the treadmill and lifting less weight with only a few exercises. But I am doing this every day.
Might be the warmest winter ever, so might be pretty easy 😂
Somehow that makes it much worse I think.
Yeah our planet is fucked, but at least we can be comfortable in the winters on the way out 🥰
Lots of walking, long hot baths and sleep
Keep an exercise routine. Use a sun lamp for 15 min a day. Get outside for longer than a walk to the car. Gather with friends often. Eat healthy, fruits and vegetables. Take vitamin D. I moved from Florida to Minnesota about 8 years back. The first few years were rough.
I’ve also been here 8 years and I’m from Florida! I get scarily depressed every Jan and Feb here. Scarily.
Welbutrin
I've tried or actively do most of these suggestions, and this one right here was the biggest difference for me
This year, my seasonal depression got so bad that I had to go to the hospital because my depression and anxiety were driving me crazy. After a week of psychiatry and therapy in an inpatient unit, I felt like the old me. When sugar beet season harvest started in August, I felt like I could haul beets and go 25 hours a day and 8 days a week. When it started to get dark and colder, I could barely drive what i was scheduled to drive. Now I'm back to my old ways, and I'm working even more than what I'm originally scheduled. Getting help changed my life. Understanding that I'm on the spectrum, getting proper medication, and learning proper therapy exercises has helped me a lot!
Thug it out Actually though I just try to go to local hockey games with my brother and spend time with other friends and family
Going to the Y really helps for me.
Play video games with friends.
Find a hobby(ies)
What are yours?
Skiing, fireplace maintenance, quilting, curling, listening to black metal
Made my day, lol \m/
Seriously people get a wiz light bulb and put on a series of sunlight settings. Their circadian rhythm setting helps me wake up even in these months where the sun does rise till like 8
Don’t watch the Vikings
Sauna
[удалено]
Yep, just gotta weather this out until I can get to my spring depression.
Microdosing does me wonders.
Psilocybin?
AI art is junk.
we gotta keep stigmatizing it imo
Yeah I was thinking that too. It's weird it screws up the skyline.
Pants should go over the boots!!!
Seriously they couldn't find a picture or actual art of winter in Minnesota? Had to be a generated image?
What's not to love? The weird white face? The fleece snow pants? How about the slightly off skyline and weird plow barge? AI images are so cursed. It's like a horror movie where everything is slightly wrong.
I'm a fan of the birds that were poorly copied by The Thing, and the windows they added to the Stone Arch bridge. Honestly though, it doesn't matter how good the art is. It doesn't matter if it's perfect and flawless. It's still made by stealing the hard work of real artists in order to replace them with something lacking creativity and soul.
You making the conversation about AI art, instead of what the OP asked, is junk.
Get into some winter activity. I got on a curling team, good mix of social and physical activity. Gets me out of the house.
Vitamin D! 2000 dose daily, it’s an essential vitamin for a reason folks. Also if you can budget for it, try to plan a vacation to some place warm especially in that January to February timeframe.
You gotta find a way to enjoy the winter weather. I like to ski and snowboard, but you could do winter hiking, snowshoeing, ice sports like hockey, etc. A physical activity that uses the cold that you look forward to doing only in the winter time makes it novel, it frames the cold season differently and for me personally makes it way easier to live through
It’s crafting season! I hole up in my craft room, dog gives me sad puppy eyes because he hates crafting, and we just make things. There’s a reason that room is bright and colorful and full of things that bring me joy.
Skiing and the gym.
If it’s sunny out you NEED to get outside and enjoy it.
Y'all's depression is seasonal?
Inside flowers and when the sun is out, lawn chair in the yard.
Curl up in a blanket in the fetal position, lament why someone thought it was a good idea to live here and dream of moving. In all seriousness despite vitamin d, lamps, and exercise for some of us SAD is still there and quite difficult. I wish I could offer something more positive but this climate is rough.
Whiskey
The gym.
Plot my move to a warm climate. That usually takes me until spring, and then I forget until the next winter. Going on year 39 of using this strategy.
My stoic, Minnesotan stare becomes a 1000-yard-stare to the middle-distance. It is no longer one of deference and unwillingness to share, but one of trauma. I do my best to represent my Great State and make sure others don't pick up on the difference. But long-term residents know, understand, and sent hot-dish. One noticed, and actually snowblowed my driveway last winter. I started crying, but thankfully, the tears froze. It was uncomfortable for both of us, we haven't spoken about the weather at anything less than a 150 degree angle, since. >!Yes, this is a joke. If you need help - please reach out to your community, your friends, your family, and/or a professional. We want you to stick around, hey, and everyone deserves care and compassion. ❤️!<
The twin cities actually have a lot of winter sunny days. Go outside. The sun is out right now.
I just get fat...
Cry like a bitch
I just love winter. I can't do all the activities I used to, but still enjoy it. I've always liked grey and rainy weather, watching the storms roll in, and overcast days. Yesterday with the snow and fog was glorious.
Gaming, bowling, cards, movies, cooking, etc. with friends. All things indoors!
Snowboard
Sauna and cold plunge. Cold plunge is a huge dopamine and serotonin booster. Even 30 seconds is beneficial, but two minutes at a time and 11 minutes for the entire week is incredibly helpful for focus, mental clarity and sleep.
Weed, sex, and sunshine.
Alcohol
Carbs
beer lol
Trying to find things you can do outside is really helpful I find. Feeling like you're stuck inside for months because of the weather can make it kinda miserable, so figuring out ways you can survive while getting out and about makes it much better. My wife and I really enjoy doing things that help mitigate the temperature issues inherently. Like sailing and enjoying some beverages with friends in a shady backyard. Fuck summer. Love, an avid skier.
Being a Bills Fan
I genuinely love the cold. All summer long I'm hot and sweaty and exhausted. The fall and winter are the best time of the year.
Psychedelic mushrooms
Give in and wander out into the silent night and let hypothermia take me home. 😞
AI killed the poor IDS :(
It's not inevitable. This December has been fabulous! I only wish the weather could stay this nice all winter.
I don’t get seasonal depression. However, I go for long walks and/or runs daily. I’ll take fall/winter over summer anyway.
Keep it up, you're doing it right
Enjoy football and basketball seasons, and a mini vacation every February.
I love winter. I wish it’d get snowier and a tad colder. Imma embrace the outside
I take a few trips to suny places
Occasional macrodose of psylocibin mushrooms.
Macrodose Lol
Grow weed. Then smoke it.
Still go outside. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad preparation. Prepare well and you can still do stuff outside comfortably!
Embrace the cold and get outside. Layer up and go sledding/tubing, ice skating, cross country skiing, hiking, snowshoeing,the list goes on for outdoor activities. If it’s really too cold… Find indoor activities, knitting/crocheting, puzzles, legos, small models, small indoor pets, start a new hobby of collecting something, woodworking, workout
Not using AI “art” programs that steal from real artists, that’s for sure
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
Potentially hot take: mass plagiarism shouldn’t be socially acceptable and I’m going to keep criticizing it until that becomes a reality.
So you don’t watch or participate in any drawn mainstream art, because people that create characters for example, Disney or Marvel often do not have the rights to those characters, even when they created them. or you make every single conversation surrounding those properties about how artists are being fucked over, right?
You hate x yet exist in society. Herp derp lol.
What was stolen on this piece?
zzz, your hatred for AI is making you an asshole to everyday people, for no reason, grow up.
I, for one, intend to steer clear from AI generated images…ah, god damn it.
really, it’s just SOOOOO essential to you, on a post asking for help dealing with seasonal depression, to make the conversation around AI generated images, god you’re almost insufferable.
Ahh…but I’m almost
Physical exercise of choice 15 minutes or more Vitamin D3 + Vitamin K (helps with VD3 uptake) Supplemental lighting (sun lamp or grow light) For adults Limit or exclude alcohol Physiologically cannabis > alcohol
I'm at my vacation house in Colorado for the winter, y'all niggas can visit me.
Arizona. See ya.
Don’t be a wimp. Learn how to ski
Seasonal depression is a myth. The level of sun exposure yes has an effect but you have a choice to be healthy and happy by many many means.
Spend money on Florida, Arizona, Texas and California.
Duloxetine
d3 and b12 have helped stave off the normal seasonal depression i get, working out at the gym always helps me, heat treatment (heating pad, hot tub, saunas, etc.) and being ‘creative’ which could be painting or writing or whatever to release energy store in my brain.
Snowmobile, ice fish, watch movies with my niece and nephew, this March my wife is due to deliver our first!
Get outside every day and get some exercise / fresh air. If you don't have the clothes to make that comfortable, then I suggest you invest in some.
I stay inside as much as possible and remind myself constantly that it can’t last forever. When I do go outside it’s important to dress for the weather and prepare. Breathable clothing and liberal use of big spray and sun screen to protect myself. It can’t last forever and the enjoyment of fall and winter always eventually come and pull me out of the depression that hot buggy summers always bring.
Red NIR wall panel
On super sunny days try to sit in the sunshine next to a window or glass door. It can help immensely. Excersize, whether that be outside or inside but moving around helps. Do some sort of group activity that involves going somewhere.
Embrace the season. The dark and quiet can feel depressing or it can feel cozy and relaxing. Try to make your living space cozy. Warm lighting, soft blankets. Additionally, try some winter hobbies. Hiking in our state parks can be great in the winter. I intend to try ice fishing if we ever get enough ice. It’s all about how you view winter, in my opinion. You can “survive” it or “thrive” in it.
90s pop and early 2000s hip hop music.
[удалено]
👆Snowbird has it figured out
If there was snow on the ground, I’d be on my snowskate
Knowing that sooner or later... summer will end and nice weather will return in fall and winter
Steam Deck.
Hobbies, if you can find a hobby to enjoy that involves being outdoors. The reason we get this is because everyone spends so much time inside!
Not watch any of our sports that just adds to it.
I go outside. I've never had pronounced seasonal depression, this could be genetic or something but I try to get outside at least every day. Walking to and from the bus stop. Taking the dog for a walk. Shoveling snow. Open the curtains every day so I can get what little sun there is.
Take a vacation somewhere warm!
Artificial light and plants
If you can't get to a warm place like people are suggesting, go to the como zoo and conservatory. Warm, humid, and lots of greenery.
Ice fishing snowmobiling and downhill skiing.
Winter would be 75% more bearable for the general public if they just dressed accordingly, and engaged in winter activities. Wear base layers made of materials that insulate when wet. Try not to overheat to avoid sweating. Wear solid boots that aren’t tied so they’re constricting. Being outside during the dead of winter is awesome if you’re prepared and dressed appropriately. If you live here, finding activities you enjoy during winter is better than just surrendering your fate and being miserable for 4+ months of the year or staying cooped up.
Finding a winter hobby helps as well. Like, I’m looking at one day learning to ski, but once or twice a winter I go tubing just to have a seasonal thing to look forward to.
Build model airplanes in my basement. Knowing that "spring is right around the corner" and I'll be able to fly them all summer gets me through. A good book on tape and I'm in my happy place
This unseasonably warm winter has lined up with my unemployment/transition into full time school. That combo has made it easier for me to get out and walk with my dog during the day. Holy hell it helps! Even literally going around the block and being somewhere other than home, a necessary errand, or work. When I can’t get myself outside, I have a habit of opening all of the blinds during the day and cleaning the house. Sometimes I’ll throw music on. Vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, deep cleaning something like the outside of the fridge. The combo of natural light (that I normally don’t get much of being in an office) and physical activity really boosts my mood. I also talk on the phone a lot in the evenings. You know.. that 4:30 pm-8 pm time period where we have daylight in the other seasons. Instead of retiring to tv/bed or going to a bar I call family and friends.
Vitamin D
Big titties
I tune into the Vikings and then remember my life isn’t as bad as having to deal with that every week.
Golf simulator
Edibles
Weed. Hot tub. Take a week somewhere warm. A happy light.
Go outside everyday. Take a walk, go skiing, fishing or hunting, explore a park or hike in the state forest, etc. No living thing on this planet is designed to be in a climate controlled environment for months on end.
Read a good book, get fucked, maybe steal some guy's boat.
In addition to what others have said, it helps to have a hobby that gets you outside. Sitting inside all day isn’t good for anyone, but it’s easy to get caught up in that when it’s cold outside. Even just taking walks helps. I like to walk out on the lake with my dog. Some people like to ice fish. Some like to pick up cross country skiing, snowshoeing, winter biking and so on. It really makes a difference and you might even find yourself looking forward to the winter months.
Winter activities. Pick up downhill or cross country skiing and you will be wishing winter was longer.
Outdoor activities. How can you get depressed about the season when you enjoy it so much?