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How A Stranger’s Words Made an Impact
Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend.
Here’s Alyssa’s latest column: https://smanewstoday.com/2019/02/15/strangers-words-rut-sma-depression-tribute/?amp.
I can definitely relate to feeling a little isolated around this time of the year. I still go out, but it is more challenging with my hands getting cold easily. It’s important to stay safe and avoid cold and flu season as much as possible.
This was a nice story though, and I thank Alyssa for sharing.
Could you all relate? What things do you do in the winter to take care of your mental health?
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7 Replies
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Very timely article. Like you I still manage to get out, but I hate bundling up all the time so more often than not I choose to stay put. When I’m cold I’m just not very productive and that’s just not like me although I’m cold a lot this time of year. Glad others can relate. Happy to see Alyssa could find those words of support at a time she needed it.
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Yeah sometimes I get cold even when I’m at home, and it’s really frustrating. If my hands freeze up and I struggle to work, I feel useless. If I fall into this trap and start feeling down, I turn to reading or something so I can keep my mind active.
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Interesting. I myself have been a little out of sorts mentally in the last couple weeks. Nothing in particular is wrong, so I still haven’t figured out why. Maybe it just goes back to the cold.
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Yeah, it’s a tough time of the year. Do you have any things you do in particular to deal with feelings of depression or isolation?
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Well football is one of the major things that helps me cope, and it ends in February. So that’s also a huge blow. Meeting with my friends/mentors twice a week is really fantastic. Gets me out of the house, and adds some structure to my life.
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I can relate to Winter depression, although this year seems to be a little worse than others. Like Ryan, I can’t quite put my finger on why I am a little more down than usual. I can probably attribute it to the cold weather like everyone else. I use a sip and puff for my wheelchair which means I don’t have to worry about stiff, cold fingers, but I really hate having to put on all those extra layers of clothing! And when you add the Houston rainy season to the mix, I just want to stay in my apt from Jan. thru Apr.
I can’t really say I have any one technique that works consistently to get me out of a funk. I have files of Kindle books I read, movies & shows I stream, and Internet I surf. Now is the time when I stay in better touch with faraway friends because writing emails & posts keeps me from slipping completely into isolation. I’ve learned, I guess, that having this annual alone time isn’t totally terrible, so I embrace it rather than fight it. It gives me an opportunity to regenerate my energy after spending way too much time running around all Summer, as well as keeping me away from all those sickly germs. I also remind myself that it will be over, and the sun will shine again with 80° temperatures; I just have to wait until Spring brings a much happier mood. I do thank goodness for antidepressants, but I also feel it’s important to realize I wouldn’t be able to love the good times if I hadn’t experienced the not so good times!
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Thanks for sharing Kelly. Yeah, sometimes I think all of us can just get stuck and feel isolated. But like you said, it helps to use the wintertime to recharge and take some time to ourselves. Good things can happen when we’re alone.
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