Weather-related depression? (Seattle, Vancouver, Olympia: camping, where to live, cost of living)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by noplacelikeWA

The mountain can be very elusive ....

as Garrison Keillor mentioned a few yrs ago while doing a Seattle broadcast of Prairie Home Companion.

"Most PNW youths reach puberty before getting a glimpse pf Mt Rainier." (A rite of passage...")

[magrack]

Hyperbole for the sake of humor, but funny none the less.

Once, an old Army buddy of mine was flown out to Seattle from New Orleans to do some consulting work. He'd been there for about ten days and asked me about "this mountain everybody talked about".

He hadn't seen it at all, so I picked him up and drove him up to Carbonado so he could get a close up view. He left four days later and I know that was the only opportunity to see the mountain on that trip.

[green_mariner]

The reason Seattle is know for SAD is related to geography. Seattle is the most northern-located major city in the USA(outside of Alaska), on a higher latitude than Quebec City,Quebec(at almost 48 degrees north latitude). The northern location means the sub will set much earlier than most locations. I lived in the Seattle area when I was in kindergarten and I remember coming home afterschool and it was still light outside and then it quickly became dark outside(in a period of about 2 hours or so assuming I came home around 2:45 PM or 3PM). The short days followed by constant cloud cover can drive down serotonin levels.

[coldswan]

Originally Posted by ShadowXOR

That is sad to hear. I'm looking for a place to settle for the long term and I don't want to be driven crazy (The Shining). I know it's not that bad but it does sound like it affects a lot of people around here.

I wonder how people do it in Alaska during those nights that last months (or I heard something like that, maybe I'm crazy).

I live in Anchorage,AK and must say that it is the cold more than the darkness that gets to me. I have been here almost nine years and have wanted to leave since about year three (my husband is from here). We actually get alot of sunshine even in winter but it is bitter cold. We are already at 12+hrs of daylight each day. The SAD issue is huge here! I think many people have "light" lamps in their homes, we try to take vacations in the winter (pull kids out of school) every year. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest so the rain doesn't bother me, but the cold, well it makes you very depressed sometimes. If it is too cold to take a walk and get exercise that is what gets to me. I'd take the Cali sun over this any day!

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by coldswan

I live in Anchorage,AK and must say that it is the cold more than the darkness that gets to me. I have been here almost nine years and have wanted to leave since about year three (my husband is from here). We actually get alot of sunshine even in winter but it is bitter cold. We are already at 12+hrs of daylight each day. The SAD issue is huge here! I think many people have "light" lamps in their homes, we try to take vacations in the winter (pull kids out of school) every year. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest so the rain doesn't bother me, but the cold, well it makes you very depressed sometimes. If it is too cold to take a walk and get exercise that is what gets to me. I'd take the Cali sun over this any day!

The cold doesn't bother me that much, especially when you compare it to 90 percent humidity and 95 degrees F. I used to live in Everett,WA and the cloudy days never bothered me one bit. I went outside anyway.

I don't like the cold but heat bothers me a lot more, and humidity.

[mayfair]

Originally Posted by mr_evergreen

The short days followed by constant cloud cover can drive down serotonin levels.

I agree with you. I didn't mind the gray short days as a young person but after a number of years I believe it depleted my serotonin. The cold and rain is not a deal-breaker for me (although it can be uncomfortable)- it's the lack of light.

[frogamigo]

I am a brand new transplant, from sunny sunny Utah to dark and drizzly Bellingham. I've been here since September '06, so, basically sitting out a winter. For the record, I still love rain, clouds, and this area. WA is great.

But the SAD issue is very real. I didn't think it would be for me, but it's been very overwhelming. I was okay until about mid-December, at which point I became a hibernating bear and, even it being March, I am still in a daze. I keep looking at the forecast going, "When will it be sunny? Or at least not raining sideways in my face?" If you don't like rain, DON'T come here. And even if you do, just be ready for potential depression. I use a light therapy lamp and very much recommend it. (I take meds too, but I was on them before I came here.) In the desert I used to get a similar syndrome in the summers - depression from May-September, just *waiting* for it to cool down, and shouting for joy at the first summer storm.

For the holiday break, I had the great joy of leaving WA to a very snowy, blindingly bright, Utah Christmas. And LOVED it. I went outside at 5:00 p.m. and *there was still sunlight*!!!

I don't find it cold in WA. I think the temps are absolutely perfect. I really dig temps from 35-60F. I get pretty cranky if it's above 60.

[DarkeningUndine]

Originally Posted by ShadowXOR

That is sad to hear. I'm looking for a place to settle for the long term and I don't want to be driven crazy (The Shining). I know it's not that bad but it does sound like it affects a lot of people around here.

I wonder how people do it in Alaska during those nights that last months (or I heard something like that, maybe I'm crazy).

It all depends on where you live in WA, too. I live in Spokane, so we've less rain and more sun. I've never been affected by the rain when I lived in Seattle. I enjoy rain, and the problem you often have is that it's overcast. There are special lamps to help with seasonal depression. I find if I'm having problems with the rain, just going outside in a rain jacket and taking a walk will help.

My grandparents live on Whidbey Island, and they never have a problem, because of lots of windows and LOTS of time spent outside.

As for alaska, it really depends on where it is you live. Anchorage doesn't have that problem (Much), but towns up further north (Fairbanks) will have a month of darkness. But, it's made up by the month of no dark!

[Topaz]

I'm a psychologist and SAD is definitely real. I practiced in Seattle for 9 years before my family moved to Colorado for my husband's job and a search for sunnier weather. In Seattle, there were many gray damp months when at least half of my clients were struggling with mild to severe SAD.

A good book is, "When Your Body Gets The Blues." It is not specifically about SAD but many of the suggestions in the book help SAD sufferers to feel better.

Personally, I was fine with the weather until I became a parent. I felt really claustrophobic when trapped inside the house with two small children who wanted to visit the park but it just seemed too cold and wet to go. I really disliked taking huge towels with me to the park in an attempt to dry all the equipment. And the days when it became dark by 5 pm were frustrating because it would be dark when I went to work and dark when I drove home. If there was any sun break at all during the day, I would dash outside and stand there with my face pointed toward the sun to soak up all that I could.

If I ever move back to the Pacific Northwest, I will plan at least two vacations per year in sunny weather.

Ugh, just remembering those endless winters makes me appreciate Colorado's weather even more!

Topaz