Friday, February 07, 2014

'Tis the season...

...for the local media to run pieces on Seasonal Affective Disorder:
But if you notice any of these signs in yourself or loved one, you need to get more help: sluggishness, round-the-clock sleeping, despair that lasts for weeks straight, or suicidal thoughts. 
Broadly speaking, the suicide and alcoholism rates tend to increase as one moves north from the tropics. One can only imagine what it was like in a Viking longhouse come the middle of February, when all there's been to do for the last month is sharpen weapons and deplete the mead supply. When people's fuses could be measured in microns, you'd need a pretty elaborate social code to keep it from being one lethal brawl after another.

17 comments:

TBeck said...

"Save it for the Irish" comes to mind.

Anonymous said...

My sister-in-law is from Finland. The winter solstice is still a big deal for them because there's finally hope: the worst is over and you start having more and more daylight from then on. According to my brother who was there over the holidays last year they celebrated on the solstice and everyone's moods improved markedly.

Scott said...

I understand completely. My ancestors were from Scotland and Ireland. My wife is a redhead of Irish extraction. I try to compensate with humor, which my spouse clearly disagrees with. I really need to get her a light...

Anonymous said...

But we're told there's more violent crime in summer when it's hot, so you may get mugged or murdered, but you'll feel better about it whereas things are more peaceful in winter but it makes you depressed.

That sounds like a perfect media story.-- Everything sucks all the time.

I know; let's blame it all on capitalism. -- Lyle

Tam said...

Turns out SADS is a real thing (formerly known as "cabin fever" or "shack wacky") although nobody has successfully proved it's Bush's fault yet...

LCB said...

Taking Vit. D during the winter seems to help me with "cabin fever".

NAVIGATOR said...

VITAMIN D-3 START WITH 2000 IU DAILY

NAVIGATOR said...

TRY VITAMIN D-3 2000 IU DAILY
START WITH THAT YOU MAY NEED TO INCREASE DOSEAGE

Jeff said...

I've not had SAD since leaving NW Indiana ~6 years ago to move to Vegas. Its even better then not having to deal with snow and freezing cold all the time.

Paul said...

So, we have another reason to kick the mexicans out of mexico. That is something we should discuss as it would solve the border problem and most of them want to be in the USA anyway. Win Win in my book.

LCB said...

Paul,
I love your idea...

Keith said...

There must have been allot of fall births in viking times...

RKN said...

As an Alaskan, hearing anyone in Indiana express concern over shacky wacky is about as amusing as a Guatemalan hearing people in Mississippi complain about poverty.

Tam said...

RKN,

SAD really isn't in your area of specialty, is it, Doc?

RKN said...

In terms of treating it, no. In terms of understanding its etiology, by virtue of my geography, yes.

And for the record, my sarcasm was directed at the reporter of the linked news item, not you.

Tam said...

I didn't mean to be abrupt*, it's just that time of year when I get unreasonably cranky. ;)


(*And I did delete my first two responses without posting!)

Evyl Robot Michael said...

I like to call it "Seasonal Defective Disorder." That's sure what it feels like when it rears its ugly head.