Can Weather Changes Trigger Depression?

Windbreeze · #1 12-04-2016, 05:53 PM

8 years ago since stress at job which I quit I was diagnosed with depression, social anxiety and panic attacks. Struggled 3 years until something happened and I started running and exercising every day for 2 years and gone from 253lbs to 189lbs. Could be some kind of wake up call and I think it had to do with self-realization in certain aspect.

I have mood swings and I think this is often observed when weather changes. Not just weather but climate. I originate from eastern Europe and live in Israel for 18 years. Climate is hard in summer that I got fed up with and tired of sun. Real winter is only 2 months and then we have climate changes. Last week was heat wave and it's like your brain is melting, in that it's very hard to focus and think in heat as conditions are inappropriate.

This week it's suddenly raining, feels cold again and yesterday I felt soulless. You know - when you feel like a plant, with no hope, no goals. It's like you no longer have spine that supports your flesh. I am currently struggling in live but these climate changes only add to it as I feel they influence my mood.

After yesterday's mood change today I feel a lot better as I experienced that rain and cold. I think this is my natural environment for existence as I rejoice in it. People who live in cold climates where summer is short mostly complain about seasonal depression for the lack of sun and are sick of rainy days. Whereas I dream of lack of sun and cloudy and rainy because it makes me feel alive! I feel energized and happy to dance under the rain. I love rainbows.

While there are people with seasonal depression associated with lack of sun, excess of cloudy days and rains are there people like me sensitive to climate changes? Looks like I am also opposite of people that have lack of sun, cold and rainy days as a trigger for their depression because I love what they hate. I hope that someday I will live in 1st world country with climate I can thrive in... if I won't give up.

knightofalbion · #2 12-04-2016, 07:14 PM

Certainly weather can affect human mood. As you briefly mentioned there is SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is linked to lack of sun exposure.

Exposure to sunshine increases the body's production of the hormone serotonin, which has a calming and feel good effect.

People sensitive to barometric pressure can suffer from headaches/migraines.

Those who suffer from arthritis often find their condition is much worse in rainy weather.

Grey, miserable weather can trigger mild depression.

knightofalbion · #3 12-04-2016, 07:16 PM

PS: Have you ever tried an air ioniser?

knightofalbion · #4 12-04-2016, 07:19 PM

PPS: Have you had your thyroid levels checked out?

innerlight · #5 12-04-2016, 08:25 PM

The colder weather and the earlier night, of winter, can create depression in some people. That is where SAD, seasonal effective disorder comes from. Plus in those cases you get less sun, and don't get the benefit of the Vitamin D from the sun.

It could also be psychosomatic triggers as well. Such as, an traumatic event that happened in this weather, and every time that weather happens, you are reminded of it, and it brings back those feelings of sadness depression. For instance if when you quit your job, that you said created anxiety/depression, it could have also been a certain day out, or a certain time out, that you remember, and it brings those feelings back to you.

Native spirit · #6 13-04-2016, 11:15 PM

I suffer from osteo arthritis and fibromygela iritable bowel syndrome,etc and the colder weather makes it a lot worse.everybody needs the sun its a feel good factor.the rain is something i hate with a passion.give me snow anyday.the lighter nights make you feel better,the grey days can cause you to be depressed,when i was growing up we had 4 seasons so you knew where you were,nowadays we get four seasons in one day here,

Namaste

Mused · #7 14-04-2016, 10:40 PM

Im a lot less active during the cold season, and more easily tired. Sun (and warm weather) improve my mood a lot. Light therapy ...lol. I am never looking forward to winter even tho my moods dont suddenly change.

Tobi · #8 14-04-2016, 11:39 PM

I love all the seasons but am not fond of grey rainy weather day after day. I don't mind a good storm, but that miserable grey wet weather isn't so nice. I like the cold weather but now have mild frostbite nerve damage on my left foot which means the winters will be a bummer from here on....pity. I love it when it snows.
The sun and the snow just makes me excited! Grey gloomy 'mild' stuff I am not fond of.
I do think we can be sensitive to weather changes yes. Sometimes I suddenly can't sleep for no logical reason, and the next day the weather will change.
It's possibly a throwback from our ancient ancestry, when weather changes could impact on survival.

Windbreeze · #9 15-04-2016, 08:36 AM

Looks like it's only me who's fond of cloudy, cold and rainy weather? Could this indicate that I am being from a planet that constantly has such weather? :)

Or it could be that I have low tolerance for sunny weather? Maybe sunny is not why I hate it but because of solar haze here in summer? Some days people are even advised to stay home and elders are advised to stay in conditioned environment. In India I heard many people died last year because of inadeqate air conditioning mainly attributed to their country being not as developed.

Tobi · #10 15-04-2016, 10:44 PM

I agree, one can have too much sun, and the heat is as deadly as the cold to many.
My 'sunny snowy' optimum personal weather is probably based on living in a northern climate, in a country which gets too much rain....

You could be very sensitive to UV rays. Or perhaps bright light generally. Bright light in the eyes can be a bit disturbing sometimes, and the softer light -say of dawn or twilight or a misty day easier to take.