Any advice for getting motivated with seasonal depression?

[lakes]

I think I've developed seasonal depression for reasons I won't get into. I tried to get back into the habit of reading and exercising. But now I'm having even more trouble getting motivated and I feel like the cold, dry air and dark and dreariness outside isn't helping.

[Dan Q]

As the Covid lockdowns sapped my emotional energy and we drifted into the long, dark winter of 2020/2021, I came up with my own model for my personal mental health first aid: GEMSAW. That link's got more detail plus citations from relevant psychologists, but here's the essence of it:

• A daily practice of Gratitude: make the effort to say aloud or write down 1-3 things you're grateful for
• Making sure you get Exercise, even if that just means a dance break at your desk
• Meditation/Mindfulness, in whatever form works best for you
• Making sure you get enough Sunlight: I have a big sunlamp that automatically runs in my usual spot from from whenever I get up through to 2pm each day, unless cancelled, and it does me the world of good (and makes me look fab on video calls, too)
• Practicing Acts of kindness: the counterpoint to gratitude, try to do something nice for somebody every day, and acknowledge yourself for doing so - it can be as simple as paying a stranger a compliment online (by the way: well done starting this topic - I wouldn't have brought it up myself, but I really appreciate that you were bold enough to do so because I'll enjoy seeing the responses: thanks!)
• And don't forget to Write: blogging, journalling, or any other practice that reflects on what went well or badly about a day (or week, whatever works for you!); keep it short and sweet so you can let go and move on to the next day

I'm not you, but that's what's kept me sane the last few years. Hope it helps!

[lakes]

As the Covid lockdowns sapped my emotional energy and we drifted into the long, dark winter of 2020/2021, I came up with my own model for my personal mental health first aid: GEMSAW. That link's got more detail plus citations from relevant psychologists, but here's the essence of it:

I'm not you, but that's what's kept me sane the last few years. Hope it helps!

Thanks for the advice. 

[CharChar]

 Seasonal depression is really tricky, I like to romanticize the stuff that gets me down, so it might work for you. If you need a kick start to do something, try doing something seasonal. If you like nice smells and cooking, make a simmer pot while you work. If you like decorating,set decorating as a reward for something small instead. If you don't wanna do long tasks yet,then just do the simple things. Set a timer while you scroll to remind you to pick the stuff off the floor or whatever it is you need to do. Try reaching out to friends. I know that sounds cheesy, but communication and connection does help. It might not be the best solution, but i hope this winter/fall gets better for you    

[lakes]

Seasonal depression is really tricky, I like to romanticize the stuff that gets me down, so it might work for you. If you need a kick start to do something, try doing something seasonal. If you like nice smells and cooking, make a simmer pot while you work. If you like decorating,set decorating as a reward for something small instead. If you don't wanna do long tasks yet,then just do the simple things. Set a timer while you scroll to remind you to pick the stuff off the floor or whatever it is you need to do. Try reaching out to friends. I know that sounds cheesy, but communication and connection does help. It might not be the best solution, but i hope this winter/fall gets better for you    

Thank you! I'll try that too.

[Gizmo]

I've been struggling with motivation recently as well, and I've found that forcing myself to at least start a task (eg: reading 5 pages of a book or looking at one portion of my lesson) often sort of jump starts my brain and makes it much easier to keep going.

[lakes]

Thanks. Noted.

[Dan Q]

Ugh, I'll tell you what though: the winter blues is really kicking me in the butt, this year.

I think it's a combination of things, really. I'm finding a lot of things stressful in general, and I failed to step into my winter self-care routine in October as I "should" but waited until things started getting rough in November.

Anyway; you've got my sympathy, for sure.

[Dequake]

Both me and my gf suffer heavily during winter and honestly, what worked the best for us? A therapy lamp and Vitamin D lmaoo. We just sit every morning and stare into like this bright ass ipad I bought for like eighty dollars and as silly as it sounds, I feel happier. Maybe it's a placebo, but I feel it works.

[rhyswynne]

I am fairly sure my advice isn't practical, but I tended to book a holiday somewhere warm and sunny for a few days in late November/December. Usually could get deals as folks couldn't go. Wasn't practical during Covid. Trying to get out when it is light, I find helps.

[fablefound]

I can vouch for just about everything on @Dan Q's GEMSAW model, as I've done a lot of it myself.

In no particular order, here's a bunch of stuff that's made me less miserable despite the sun setting at 4pm, GEMSAW-adjacent and otherwise:
- Seasonal novelty! I like to put up winter and holiday-themed decor, and change my desktop/lockscreen/etc on my personal devices to have a similar general theme. Lots of snowy pixel landscapes and Moomin imagery this year. My partner and I also have some winter dates on the docket, from hiking to watching our favourite Christmas movies.
- In a similar-ish vein, LIGHTS. Fairy lights, novelty lamps, one of those fancy lamps like @Dequake mentioned... I have a nice, vintage banker lamp with a Tiffany-style shade.
- I try to exercise at least 2-3 times a week. For me, that looks like walking (outside when the weather permits, on the treadmill when it doesn't) or, as embarrassing as it is to admit, sometimes following those YouTube dance workout videos when they have music I like.
- Putting screentime limits on my phone and trying to get my dopamine from LITERALLY ANYWHERE ELSE besides the doomscroll. Sometimes that's books, sometimes that's videogames, sometimes it's crafts. I also have a monochrome filter on for a good chunk of the day because I read that helps with phone addiction? I dunno though haha.
- Keeping myself accountable on the basic day-to-day of keeping myself fed, clean, and comfortable. I use Finch for that, it's a cute little bird app that lets you put in and check off tasks. Only time one of these wretched productivity tracker things has ever worked for me.
- Finally, again seconding GEMSAW here, being able to document my life and my feelings through journalling and art have been great. I have a few writing/musical projects on the go, and try to journal once a week. It's been nice.

Oh, and as a bonus, I've started an annual tradition of sending handwritten holiday cards to friends all over the world. It's a nice chance to get away from the screen and spread some joy. Also I just really enjoy snail mail, and connection is really valuable this time of year. I'm hoping to meet up with IRL friends when I get the chance too! :)

Also, here's my gorgeous lamp, my tiny Christmas tree, and my wonderful Finch bird Aster, who is presently in Chicago.

[windit]

Hi! I hope you're all going gentle on yourselves. These are great tips so far.

It's funny how even for those of us for whom depression is a re-occurring thing, we always seem to forget to Enact the Strategies until we really need them. Gosh.

Anyway! I find the book 'The No-Bullshit Guide to Depression' to be helpful while I'm in depression, in that it's mostly a bunch of immediate strategies you can use. Here's a short article written by the author - if you like the vibe I can upload my PDF version of the book for you to access x

Otherwise for me one of the most helpful strategies is to:

-Book in something to look forward to!

Both short and medium term. Like a movie to go to next week, or a trip in a couple months, or a concert, or a tattoo (!). Something fun on the horizon helps me visualise thing differently - i.e. not just day after day of the same grey skies.

This will pass and you will remain 

[Dan Q]

It's funny how even for those of us for whom depression is a re-occurring thing, we always seem to forget to Enact the Strategies until we really need them. Gosh.

Yes, yes, yes. Every damn year I start my winter self-care regime about three weeks later than I should, waiting until I notice the symptoms and correctly identify their cause. And then every year I promise myself I'll do better the next!

-Book in something to look forward to!

This is such helpful advice. It doesn't have to be something big; anything will do. Here's two of mine:

• Once I realised why I was so low I mentioned it to my partner, who organised a spa day for us both (tomorrow!), which I've been looking forward to ever since
• I've arranged to spend a long weekend in the Canary Islands (for some much-closer-to-the-equator winter sun) at the end of January, to give me some longer-term happy-anticipation

Everywhere else, I'm making part of my daily gratitude (the "G" in "GEMSAW") practice an observation of "something I'm grateful to be able to look forward to"; right now I'm looking forward to my sister-in-law and her husband visiting next weekend, to doing a tonne of cooking at Christmas, to (fingers crossed) reaching the end of the probationary period in my new job, to a virtual (Zoom) party I'm hosting for a diverse diaspora of friends I don't see very often in January, to receiving some new t-shirts I've designed and ordered... etc.; some of these are "big" things, some are much smaller, but they're all future-things to be grateful for, and that's a huge deal

[fablefound]

hard vouch on booking yourself stuff to do, ESPECIALLY if it involves seeing friends, family, loved ones, etc.
there's a reason why so many winter holidays involve cozying up by the fire with people you care about. we need community in the dark times!!

[WaybackGuy]

Community service.