Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD is a condition that some people experience. Here is a definition I located on the internet:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) refers to episodes of depression that occur every year during fall or winter. Symptoms improve in spring and summer.
from PubMedHealth http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002499/
I personally experience something similar to this, although I do not consider my winter duldrums to be depression or depression-like. Instead, I feel "affected" by seasons in a completely different way from this. Perhaps other people feel this way too? I will describe it in this article. I first noticed this as a teenager and thought my youthful hormones were playing a part in it but I now think it was more that I simply am affected by seasonal changes due to my sensitivity to heat and light or cold. I have a very good friend who does suffer from the clinical type of SAD and so I must first explain that clearly, it is a serious condition that requires treatment and is not to be taken lightly.
Let's start at the most prominent season of all...the one New Englanders hanker down for. The season of the longest, dreariest, most challenging and exhausting days. The season of Winter. Here in Rhode Island, Winter sets in after Thanksgiving. We all start to weatherize our homes before Thanksgiving and then settle in and expect snow. Winters here are varied. The days themselves vary from dreary overcast freezing temperatures to slushy snow-laden days that drag on. This runs from Late November until Mid-March, so four months. And honestly, it does not feel much warmer even in the late part of April or May either, so Springtime brings some changes but Winter really sets its teeth deep into the land here. It also sets itself deep into our psyhological well-being. I hear a lot of complaining and grouchiness from people all winter long around here. I personally dislike being cold, so I can understand the anxiety caused by this set of conditions.
Thankfully, Spring brings about the warming we New Englanders need to recover from the cold. When temperatures start consistently staying around 50*, I personally feel human again. I happily shed the warmer clothing and get back outside to soak in the sun's rays. There is a burst of energy seen not only within the persons, but within nature itself. The first week of May brings the Lilacs to bloom and that is exactly when I spring to life. Anyone who knows me may notice it, perhaps never really realized the extent of the "aliveness" I feel at that particular interval of the year. It is a powerful experience for me that makes me feel very much renewed and "awakened"...spiritually, physically and emotionally. My sexual desire is greatly heightened and my interest in travel is enhanced.
How can Summer top this? The best thing that summer has to offer is that the heat is more intense than I am. It actually wears me down. I love the feeling of the heat on my face and body. I enjoy watching the children play and every chore seems easier to manage. Matters always carry less stress and feel less burdensome. There is virtually no day of summer that I cannot say is perfect in every way.
Fall is the most spiritual time of year for me. Just like the seasons of the year, Autumn with it's falling leaves is synonomous with the shedding of my worries, fears and burdens. I allow myself to come down from the buildup of the year and it's powerful affect on me. Fall colors and the crisp smell of cold air rolling in, coupled with the burning smell of firewood all point to a period of introspection that will later be turningpoints for my life. Every autumn, as children and college students start a new school year, I feel the start of new period for myself. The start of preparations for the long cold winter. I start to search for new ways to recreate my art forms in whatever way I can.
Right now, at the start of Spring, I am feeling reborn and looking so forward to a Summer of fun and travel and growth. No matter what outside influences attempt to penetrate us and affect us, the important thing is to remain strong inside of ourselves. This is not an easy task and one I am constantly challenged by. In 2011 I feel more connected with my mind and body then ever before. I am happy to embrace the challenges and enjoy the benefits of being me...just me. I wish for all of my friends and loved ones to find acceptance of themselves. This is a short blog, but as always, I wish my readers Love, Peace, Harmony, Wholeness, Health, and Wealth.
~namaste
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