How do I get over seasonal depression?

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A routine helps. Nothing big, just a few things to not let things get too bad.

I like to lean into the gloominess of the season a bit. I know people who start "looking forward to spring" in October and just try to wait out autumn and winter. A good way to throw half of your life out of the window.
 
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If you're from California - fuck a dolphin and Cobain yourself after that. Canadian? Your government offers assisted suicide. For free.
If you're neithee Californinan nor Canadian - the best advice I could offer is to get a bit of a time for yourself and re-evaluate your surroundings and recent stuff that was going on, do a bit of a retrospect.
 
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I've heard of some people having success with light boxes, but I've never tried it myself or checked any studies, so it's mostly anecdotal. If you've got SAD, it might help to use one in the morning or for some time after you get home each day, just be sure you're not blasting yourself with UV light or anything. I don't know if any are really FDA approved or whatever. Vitamins can also help, even if it and the box are just placebo. Typical recommendations for depression and affected mood also apply.
 
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I am a bit conflicted.

On one hand, seasonal depression almost does not feel real to me. If you can fix with seeing friends and having a routine, I am not sure this really qualifies. I almost feel angry about the idea and want to say tough it up.

On the other hand, I know that you don't need to be terminal stage to have cancer, and that's no reason to dismiss what it can feel like because it could be worse. Same probably applies here.

If it's really seasonal, keep your eye on the finish line. If prisoners can do it for decades, so can you. Hope is a great motivator. Just don't do or not do something you can't fix later.

Good luck
 
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rel=alternate said:
On one hand, seasonal depression almost does not feel real to me. If you can fix with seeing friends and having a routine
Click to expand...
Actually doing that stuff is what's difficult. "Seasonal depression" invokes the mental image of someone who becomes a total slob and can't even get out of bed but the effect it has on most people is that they just feel low energy, easily tired, get worn down by the cold weather and don't feel like leaving the house because of it. Then you end up shutting yourself in and that sends shit into a spiral.
 
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Write a list of the cool things you've accomplished this year and start a two-year goal list (Make it realistic, have maybe three or four major goals at most), because you're really not going to be able to do anything that crazy with just one year.

Take it as a time to almost meditate and think over the past year. How do you feel overall? Is your life significantly worse or better? If it's not where you want it to be, think of how you can steadily change things into the new year. Whatever you want to do in the next year, start doing in December to get a head-start.
If you feel low-energy and can't will yourself to do a lot, don't hate yourself for it. The past couple of days I've been able to lay in bed while doing nothing and felt okay with just that for the first time in a while. Your life doesn't always have to be this great, exciting thing. If it's cold, get bundled up and go out for a walk and enjoy the brisk feeling in the air, maybe listening to music that fits the weather.
Almost think of it as the Epilogue for the year. Nothing really NEEDS to happen all the time. Sometimes rest and reprieve are okay.
 
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