# Winter depression sets in early **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 22, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195 "2002-11-22T18:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/1 "2002-11-22T18:13:09Z")
Dammit. I woke up at 4 a.m. this morning (I had an EARLY military physical today), went outside, and found an assload of snow blowing around everywhere. Sure, it’s now 1 p.m. as I write this, so much of it has melted, but… …it’s cold. …it’s white. …the trees are bare. …the sun keeps setting earlier. …the sky is overcast, and will likely remain so for the next four months. Yep, winter is setting in early, and my mood is taking a nosedive. :mad: I hate winter depression. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/2 "2002-11-22T18:16:02Z")
Aww, sweetie, that sucks. I propose we do something fun to cheer you up. Are you busy this evening? BTW, are you moving to FL next year? ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/3 "2002-11-22T18:19:43Z")
The only thing that’ll get me through the next month is knowing that the days will start to get longer again after Dec. 21st. I hate Winter. We had our first snow this year in early October and our last snow is usually around the middle of April. Yuck! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/4 "2002-11-22T18:19:54Z")
Kyla is one of the reasons why I like Dopers so much. Short answer: my girlfriend and I are renting a movie tonight (which, I assume, will brighten my mood). IIRC, however, Cranky might have been planning a get-together for tomorrow night. I can’t verify that. However, failing that, a ad-hoc Arbor-dope tomorrow night would be more than welcome. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/5 "2002-11-22T18:25:38Z")
When I liven in Alaska, regular exercise sure helped keep the spirits up. They say that bright light exposure can help deter **SAD** ’s effects as well. Actually, it stays too damn warm here in Houston over the winter and I’m a bit jealous of the conditions you mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/6 "2002-11-22T18:29:20Z")
> [@](#): > > IIRC, however, Cranky might have been planning a get-together for tomorrow night. I can’t verify that. However, failing that, a ad-hoc Arbor-dope tomorrow night would be more than welcome. No, she’s having it. Search MPSIMS for “A Very Cranky Ramadan.” Be there or be square. So what’s up with your school? Will you be done by the time they relocate? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/7 "2002-11-22T18:43:41Z")
Greetings from California! It’s a mellow 80\* and the skies are a beautiful clear blue. 🙂 I’m not trying to be a smartass, actually. I know exactly what you are going through. I hate it so much that I get sick to my stomach and just the thought ofmoving back to Utah. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/8 "2002-11-22T18:51:44Z")
Ooops, an unanswered question for Kyla. Color me careless. In sum: to the best of my knowledge, the law school is not moving anytime soon. The official statement from the law school, the foundation, and all-things-holy revolving around Mr. Tom Monaghan is that the law school is staying put while the college (university) moves to Florida to spawn its own town. The hush-hush version of things is that the faculty is being told to get ready for a move in 2006. Which doesn’t affect me either way, as I still have to live in Michigan until I graduate. The irony is that, given my mood, I would very much like to be in Florida right now. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/9 "2002-11-22T19:31:29Z")
So you’re staying in MI? Oh darn. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/10 "2002-11-22T19:41:01Z")
SAD (seasonal affective disorder): Depression that tends to occur (and recur) as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter. It is believed that affected persons react adversely to the decreasing amounts of light and the colder temperatures as the fall and winter progress. [Here’s a little info about SAD](http://www.focusondepression.com/script/main/art.asp?li=MNI&ArticleKey=11009) > [@](#): > > Regular exposure to light that is bright, particularly fluorescent light, significantly improves depression in persons with seasonal affective disorder. The light treatment is used daily in the morning and evening for best results. If one could temporarily change locations to a climate that is characterized by bright light (such as the Caribbean), this can achieve similar results. Light treatment has also been called phototherapy. > > Phototherapy is commercially available in the form of light boxes, which are used for approximately one-half hour daily. The light required must be of sufficient brightness, approximately 25 times as bright as a normal living room light. Contrary to prior theories, the light does not need to be actual daylight from the sun. It seems that it is quantity, not necessarily quality of light, that matters in the light treatment of seasonal affective disorder. ---
**Author:** ![ouisey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@ouisey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouisey)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/11 "2002-11-22T20:21:57Z")
Wow. I’m exactly opposite. Sunshine makes me VERY cranky. We’ve got too much sunshine in KC, IMO. I hate having to squint up my eyes. Right now, I can see friggin’ sun sparkles off the cars in the parking lot and it just pisses me off. ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winter-depression-sets-in-early/138195/12 "2002-11-22T23:51:30Z")
On the other hand, it’s the end of November and it hasn’t hit -30 yet. 😃 Unfortunately, there’s not enough snow to use the skidoos yet either. ☹