Depressed in Seattle (Spokane, Colville, Forks: homes, living, costs)

[Suelli5]

For me it's not the rain that's the problem. Often the rain is just a light drizzle, and it's what keeps our city so pleasantly green. What gets to me is how little daylight there is during the winter. We are at a high latitude. You wake up in the dark, travel to work in the dark, and leave work in the dark for a big chunk of the year. The fact that it is so rainy means that if you do manage to get outside in the wintertime, it is usually overcast. Many people deal with this fine. There are a lot of fun indoor activities to do here. There's a strong film scene, good local theater, zillions of good restaurants and brew pubs, and a dnecentblive music scene.

[dav51lin]

thegeeen is moss and mold nothing nice about that

[Walch1007]

Originally Posted by shaylahc

This is true, especially about the short days. I only lasted 4 years in Seattle before I left. I came from a sunny location, and moved back to a sunny location. I tried it all to help me survive Seattle....vitamins, a sun lamp, therapy, antidepressants. I have never been that depressed before in my life. I finally left...back in NC now to 8 months and couldn't be happier.

If you live in a sunny place you just take it for granted that there will be sun. But in the winter in Seattle not only are the days short, but on overcast days it can be so dark that stores have their lights on at noon. It can rain for 30+ days straight. It made me crazy....quite literally. I left my husband and came back with our children. He eventually followed. My neighbor across the street came from Colorado, married for 30+ years...also left her husband. Do not underestimate the effect the weather can have on people. I find that most natives are used to it, but for people who move from sunny locales....expect to struggle. It didn't bother my husband but it bothered me, and it bothered my daughters as well. I have one daughter in Seattle still going to college, and she suffered this winter from the lack of sun.

My vitamin D level is extremely low now, too. Sunshine matters.

What do you do for work? You can just pick up and leave any time you want?

[lostsoul2015]

I'm depressed because no woman will even look at me and want to improve my social life. I'm too ugly and i am not even an American but from Europe.

then i keep hearing them complain/moan they cant find someone decent but... they are too high strung and unrealistic.

[homerboy]

Originally Posted by shaylahc

This is true, especially about the short days. I only lasted 4 years in Seattle before I left. I came from a sunny location, and moved back to a sunny location. I tried it all to help me survive Seattle....vitamins, a sun lamp, therapy, antidepressants. I have never been that depressed before in my life. I finally left...back in NC now to 8 months and couldn't be happier.

If you live in a sunny place you just take it for granted that there will be sun. But in the winter in Seattle not only are the days short, but on overcast days it can be so dark that stores have their lights on at noon. It can rain for 30+ days straight. It made me crazy....quite literally. I left my husband and came back with our children. He eventually followed. My neighbor across the street came from Colorado, married for 30+ years...also left her husband. Do not underestimate the effect the weather can have on people. I find that most natives are used to it, but for people who move from sunny locales....expect to struggle. It didn't bother my husband but it bothered me, and it bothered my daughters as well. I have one daughter in Seattle still going to college, and she suffered this winter from the lack of sun.

My vitamin D level is extremely low now, too. Sunshine matters.

What part of NC did you back to?

I've been here ~10 years and I've just about had it with the weather (along with the absurd traffic, tax increases, and the "Seattle Freeze").

The 30+ straight days of rain is no joke. I've experience this several times and it's like a constant low level gloom that builds and builds. Sooner or later it's going to explode!

Ugh, it's no wonder I've become so angry and depressed these past few years.

[dav51lin]

Originally Posted by homerboy

What part of NC did you back to?

I've been here ~10 years and I've just about had it with the weather (along with the absurd traffic, tax increases, and the "Seattle Freeze").

The 30+ straight days of rain is no joke. I've experience this several times and it's like a constant low level gloom that builds and builds. Sooner or later it's going to explode!

Ugh, it's no wonder I've become so angry and depressed these past few years.

i understand your pain

[SunAndRain808]

I agree that the shorter winter days and the lack of real/authentic sunshine can cause a damper in one's mood which leads to depression.

However, for me, it seems that my depression stems from living in the wrong area of the Seattle metro area. I moved here for my job, and it's located all the way down south in Puyallup. I like the company I work for, and most of the colleagues I work with. It's just the long drive I have to take to downtown Seattle, Bellevue, Factoria, Redmond or Shoreline for Meet-Up events. Most of my friends also live out near Bellevue or downtown Seattle. It's crazy. I used to attend college in the Los Angeles area, and I swear, i drive MORE longer distances here than I did in L.A.

On the other hand, the spring and summer weathers are pleasant here.

I think to combat the wintery weather depression, one should find a hobby that he or she can do indoors, like working out at the gym. On my free times during the rainy season, I would go to the gym and run on the treadmill, lift weights, etc. Exercising can increase one's endorphin levels.

[jrt1979]

Originally Posted by FlyiMetro

Is Seattle a depressing city? I have
heard that it rains a lot the area. How often does it rain there?

Depends on the person.
I'know people that have moved here from CA that absolutely love it. I also know people that made it less than a year before this place broke them, due to the weather.

Seattle is more overcast than rainy IMO.

[Haakon]

Originally Posted by FlyiMetro

Is Seattle a depressing city? I have
heard that it rains a lot the area. How often does it rain there?

How often? It's rained, on average, 5 days a week for the last 6+ months.

Seattle breaks more rainfall records

[RotseCherut]

I took a walk in the drizzle today, drinking my coffee and enjoying all the beautiful flowers and greenery. Then the drizzle stopped and the air felt clean and crisp. To be honest, it felt more enjoyable walking in the gentle drizzle with all the greenery and flowers than walking around Boise in May with the sun shining, 75F and no plant life whatsoever to speak. Then, when summer comes around and it is 100F every day and brown as brown can be I actually get extremely depressed and I choke on the dusty air.

It amazed me, but being a native Cascadian (who grew up in Oregon) I will say that I never felt so depressed until I lost all the beautiful greenery and had to deal with 3 months of vile cold and snowy winter and 3 months of intense and fierce desert heat. Both are actually pretty depressing to me. I'd take 55F and drizzly. Heck, I have had some of the best mountain hikes in my life in this weather. Something about mist wrapping around the trees and a gentle drizzle purifies the soul. Zen Buddhist monks purposely go to misty forests to channel their energies on euphoria of the phenomenon. Many Zen temples are in places that are saturated in misty and drizzly environment. Something about the greenery and energy of the mossy trees and plants has an empowering element to our souls.

The Cascade mountains have a very healing and powerful energy to it. If only people here could appreciate these majestic mountains and their powers they would stop kvetching about how depressed they are because of the weather, etc, etc. However, not everyone is a true Cascadian and they will never appreciate the power of these mountains and the ocean, rivers, lakes and Sound. Instead, they will complain about it while hiding themselves in one of their sterile condos or apartments sitting upon what use to be a beautiful garden home. Get out of your condo, apartment, bar room, coffeeshop and take a walk around. Put on a Gore-Tex rain jacket and walk around.. It is majestic.. Praise G-d for the ability to see these beautiful flowers, because wherever you think is better you probably soon regret that you didn't appreciate all the beauty and splendor around you here in the land of Cascadia, especially the beautiful Puget Sound. Seriously, what would life be like in these other great places with all their great weather? How many more shopping centers and suburban tract home suburbias do we need to find peace. Did you really enjoy all the sunshine you had from wherever you came from? Or, are you just looking for another excuse to complain?

Cascadia calls to you, but you care nothing of its soul.