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What causes someone to feel extreme emotions during the colder days? Do you? Explain why (if you can) and how you enjoy, hate, or feel utterly neutral and useless during the winter days.

I enjoy the winter months, as I watch more and more people lose their sanity and become desperate for warmth and belonging, I grow more comfortable. I enjoy watching humanity claw and gnaw its way to a nicer happier place. To watch a species in its most primal form is the most entertaining to me. It makes me grateful I am not a raving lunatic desperate for acceptance.

I have seen people who get desperately depressed and/or aggitated during the Fall & Winter months. I don't understand it myself.

It may have something to do with the fact that some People Need more sunlight

I have seen lightbulbs at the store that claim to produce light that mocks sunlight and helps people with this condition.

The sunlight is understandable. The skin creates vitamin E when it comes in contact with sunlight which helps to elevate our moods but how to you explain the people that are used to little sunlight all year round like prisoners perhaps? Sure they are unstable at times anyway, but they show even more mental issues during the winter months. Or parts of the world that get a decent amount of light all year around like the equator.

Seasonal depression is thought to be caused by sunlight but I think it also has to deal with the holidays and how you view and handle them and it goes into issues woth family and friends a person might have

I think it also depends on someone's job, for some of them the winters are tough because of their cut in hours and pay

I don't really like the holidays or my family, the cold keeps me in, cuts my hours working at a restaurant, and the majority of my friends have family or, now, significant hours so I oftenly find myself bored, lonely, and kind of depressed

It's also a similar situation at points in the middle of the summer when my family visits although it's not as bad because I get a lot more hours and it's easier to get out and do things with people so in my case it's not the sunlight

I can see why that would cause some to lose a little hope and grow depressed. There is a big change during the holidays that can grab at someone the wrong way indeed. When you lose out on money from wage and/or hour cuts or extra events such as holiday get togethers, cooking, decorations, are thrown on you it can grow tiresome. The lack of celebratory customs or inability to see loved ones you look forward to for the holidays due to distance or even deaths in the circle of loved ones can also be a saddening event for some.

This all can weigh heavily on someone's mind and interrupt normal behavior. And for those sensitive to light, as was mentioned by Sangreas, it can multiply those emotions even more. The planet tilts further away from the sun during the winter solstice and thus we get less direct sunlight.

But the question is as humans are we really that sensitive to such an element this far into our evolutionary chain?

I love winter. Makes me happy to see all white. Trees,streets,... Its like a dream. It would be boring if all year be summer, or not?

People are so stupid sometimes, when is summer they wane cold, when is winter they cry for summer. Pick up your mind idiots. Haha

In order for it to effect the evolutionary chain it would have to kill us off before we could reproduce, back in those days, around 13-15, I don't think seasonal depression would get to anyone that young bad enough to cause death or cause them to commit suicide

I guess it's an evolutionary flaw we have to deal with, not even any of the leaders of the mass genocides thought to add people who get depressed during winter to their list of targets

It is a very real condition that I have seen in people who are normally cheerful the rest of the year.

Aye... I have watched people go from extremely happy to holy shit psychotic thanks to the colder months.

I suffer from the cold weather blues. I feel cold more than any average person, so I'm more sensitive. Xmas season doesn't make me happy, it makes me worse and this year was the worst of the worsts. Not one thing was good. So yeah I'm a psycho during this time.

It could also be a form of cabin fever, being stuck inside so much and lack of fresh air in general, when it's warm people tend to go out a lot more, even at night and when it's cloudy

Now that is a good hypothesis. Cabin fever. Yes that in itself is an interesting condition. You go stir crazy being confined for too long. The need to rely on your heater and fireplace for warmth and inability to get away from it can be maddening..

You're stuck in your home which probably doesn't have great air circulation and the air we breathe can effect our brains and general well being

I am used to being out and the cold and I prefer it more than warm weather.. The only reason why I go psycho during the colder months here is because it entails Christmas and I've always freaked out over presents and what- not. I hate shopping, so the only reason I freak is because of that. Id much rather be walking in the woods or in my house reading.

I don't want to be with the masses that stare at me oddly, although they seem to be liking the façade I put up. Small little weather chat gets em going like nothing else.

I'd rather be in Germany during winter, where people seem to leave you the hell alone or, on the opposite spectrum, treat you like family.

Have to agree with Nikki here.The whole shop till you drop trend just turns me inside out.When I see people who buy a year's worth of presents for Christmas it just makes me sick.Gifts should be individual.For instance a good friend of mine plays the piano,so I made her a mix of my own harp music,some classical pieces and several songs by Mike Oldfield.It may not be expensive,but it shows that you care.We need gifts given with care,not mass produced junk

I can agree with Nikki and Sangreas there. It has become an event for objects instead of feelings in today's age. It can overwhelm and drive people mad.

What happened to the days when we were happy as people when something as simple as a friend inviting us over for tea and a good ol' video game were enough?

I hate retail traps! I spent about $100 at Hot Topic over 2 trips to their buy one get one half off sale

Sales have taken over Thanksgiving, black friday is nuts and it's not just black friday anymore, it's black every weekend between Halloween and New Years

Christmas is an excuse for stores to make money and the government to have a break in the end of December, it has absolutely nothing to do with the Mass of Christ anymore, there are no trees in the dessert and people gave what little they had and it was more special than lots of store bought gifts

Personally I can't stand clutter and that's what christmas seems to do

I even asked my mom if she'd be happy with a pumpkin roll this year but no, I had to buy something

worse then spring fever for sure.

Spring fever is like the recovery stage of winter psychosis

It's time to crack a window open, clean out your home that you've been stuck in so much for so long, and enjoy going outside without the risk of freezing, time to enjoy the newly budding flowers and green grass

I lived in Alaska for 5 Years and never experience the "cabi Fever". I always look for something to do in relation to the winter months. My opinion is that some people want to do activities related to hot weather in a cold weather and is too much for their brain to handle.

it's the lack of sunshine. If you live in the cooler climates then you may not venture outside as much as you do during the summer. Not to mention it gets dark earlier and our little primitive brain fears the dark.


Me I like the cool weather. I'm less inclined to go out in the heat. I live two miles from the beach and hardly ever go.

Not everyone fears the dark. And not everyone has a little primitive brain as many have shown in this thread alone. A scientific hypothesis doesn't need opinionated responses added to it though I will agree with you on the lack of sunshine as has been stated before.

hate the winter months cause of my asthma that happens only at this time of the year I am placed on two to 3 different inhalers and when it gets real cold and asthma is real bad need to be admitted to the hospital and placed on oxygen cause I can't breathe properly so for me it has nothing to do with cabin fever or sunlight just the cold stealing the breath out of me and making me feel like can't breathe properly til spring is here and the temperatures are back to round 7C or higher instead of in the minuses so far been lucky no going to the hospital and placed on oxygen even a couple weeks ago when temps were as low as -25C during the day and -29c to -30c at night

she's got a point there that could effect everyone, not just those with asthma

cold air is much heavier and more dense so maybe less of it is getting to our brain and symptoms of psychosis appear because of the lower oxygen levels

I ride my bike up a huge hill and down another one to and from work, when it's cold my muscles can take me just as fast, but my lungs don't like it and I often feel light headed at the end of the ride and it takes a little while for me to be able to fully focus, concentrate, and think about what I need to do at work

I ruined my xmas holidays because of illnesses. I got bronchitis, asthma, sinuses, a cocktail of illnesses, due to the cold. Yesterday I had 3 quilts on me and still my feet froze. I have multiple reasons to dislike this weather.

Soft furry foot warmer for DNG

I notice a few shifts in societies caused by weather. As the seasons chsnge so do we..Some people weather better than others. Cold envirinmebts are choice for batria and viruses.

flu season is in full swing here, going to school makes me feel like I'm in a less serious form of Contagion, lots of sleep, hand washing, and healthier eating for me

I personally wish i could hiberate thru the winter.

I found to combat certain feelings during the cold months is to add exercise. I exercise regularly and this seems to help.

I don't mind the winter as much now. It seems bearable.

Winter never seems to get me down but I do have friends that gets severely depressed. I don't know if it's cabin fever or lack of sun or if they just hate the holiday crazies.

Having kids definately makes it easier to enjoy the winter...we are always outside reeking havoc....lol

Yes, having children can add ease to the suffering Winter months, I agree. Though if you have a child sensitive to the cold as the one above suffers from asthma during the cold months, or maybe a child that is depressed and the colder months drags them down, it can add to the sad weary like feelings of the darker part of the year.

So far we have covered illness, mental health, the way sunlight affects us, and a few other options. This thread I believe is nearly at its end sadly. We will leave it open for others to give their opinions and even address how they feel and what makes them feel a certain way during Winter but alas, I believe the scientific aspect of this discussion is coming to a close my good friends.

This has been a good discussion and I appreciate all the intelligent points made even if a few had opinionated responses mixed with them. We are but merely human minds trapped within darker shells so it is understandable that emotion is brought into the hypothesis and theories.

*bows to all and wanders off, voice trailing* Maybe we shall meet again for another rousing discussion my fellow night wanderers.

Extreme weather can have a psychological and physical effects on the human body. In winter your blood streams runs at a different pace attempting to keep you war,. In summer to maintain cool. Psychologically when the weather is extreme is creates emotional responses increase by body activity, and your sence of self preservation can become aggitated.

If I could hibernate I would. I also heard that suicides tend to happen more during winter and the xmas season. I also noticed that on-line drama happens more often during winter. Maybe it's because many people stay in and feel lonely? To the contrary murders tend to happen more in summer.

This is an actual mental disorder which I have suffered from for years...

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

What is seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that affects a person during the same season each year. If you get depressed in the winter but feel much better in spring and summer, you may have SAD.

Anyone can get SAD, but it is more common in:

People who live in areas where winter days are very short or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons.
Women.
People between the ages of 15 and 55. The risk of getting SAD for the first time goes down as you age.
People who have a close relative with SAD.

What causes SAD?

Experts are not sure what causes SAD, but they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may upset your sleep-wake cycle and other circadian rhythms. And it may cause problems with a brain chemical called serotonin that affects mood.
What are the symptoms?

If you have SAD, you may:

Feel sad, grumpy, moody, or anxious.
Lose interest in your usual activities.
Eat more and crave carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta.
Gain weight.
Sleep more and feel drowsy during the daytime.

Symptoms come and go at about the same time each year. For most people with SAD, symptoms start in September or October and end in April or May.
How is SAD diagnosed?

It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between nonseasonal depression and SAD, because many of the symptoms are the same. To diagnose SAD, your doctor will want to know if:

You have been depressed during the same season and have gotten better when the seasons changed for at least 2 years in a row.
You have symptoms that often occur with SAD, such as being very hungry (especially craving carbohydrates), gaining weight, and sleeping more than usual.
A close relative-a parent, brother, or sister-has had SAD.

How is it treated?

Doctors often prescribe light therapy to treat SAD. There are two types of light therapy:

Bright light treatment. For this treatment, you sit in front of a "light box" for half an hour or longer, usually in the morning.
Dawn simulation. For this treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.

Light therapy works well for most people with SAD, and it is easy to use. You may start to feel better within a week or so after you start light therapy. But you need to stick with it and use it every day until the season changes. If you don't, your depression could come back.

Other treatments that may help include:

Antidepressants. These medicines can improve the balance of brain chemicals that affect mood.
Counseling. Some types of counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help you learn more about SAD and how to manage your symptoms.

Above post is a copy paste. Not in the mood to track down all of this copyright but most is found at site--

http://www.dentinstitute.com/conditions/hw-view.php?DOCHWID=hw169553

Folks- don't copy paste without given credit.

I am usually a neutral party when it comes to winter. I love to read and write during these cold months. I sleep constantly when I can. Also I kind of hibernate. Winter is my Down time per say. I love the rain...Since I live in Portland (Keepin it Weird) it is always raining in the winter months. So I like to walk around in it and smell the wet of rain on the pavement and sidewalks. I'm a little weird like that lol.