I have SAD (unprofessionally diagnosed, mind you) which stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. With the lack of sunlight during the long Canadian winters I get depressed, sleep more, eat more, become withdrawn and moody and anti-social. I have great difficulty waking in the morning, generally get to work late and aggrivated from the commute on public transit made longer and more uncomfortable than usual because of poor weather, additional other riders (so rude!) and slow-moving cars. Generally speaking, I am a most disagreeable person from November to March.
I hate winter. I hate the cold. I hate people. I hate my life. I just want to sleep. I should have been born a bear, in which all this behaviour is excused if not downright expected. Growl.
I am not one to remain mired however. I undergo light-therapy and take vitamin D and St. John's Wort and try to get out and do fun stuff in daylight as much as possible. I try to connect with friends but everyone is so busy with christmas, it can be difficult. I try to budget and schedule a getaway to some tropical place mid-February every year, but current economic currents are dragging that idea down in an undertow. But I just have to keep trying, keep pushing myself. And keep smiling.
Wake me up when the snow melts.
