Monday, January 2, 2017
"Welcome back to Reality" . . .
. . . such was the subject line of an email I received yesterday from a client who was unsure of the time of
his first therapy appointment of the new year. I will be interested to know what prompted that title . . . was it something that occurred in his world over the holidays or just the return to the 'routine' after all the flurry and flourishes of Christmas and New Years?
A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog post that I called "January-itis", basically bemoaning the season's
cold, miserable weather conditions. Well, this one had less than an auspicious beginning . . . no snow where I live but gray drabness and plentiful rain. My brother in New Hampshire sent a picture of a snowfall that appears to be a foot deep.
With a client coming at 7 a.m. tomorrow, I opted to make my 65 mile commute this afternoon (January 2). Traffic was heavier than usual. Then came the realization that 'vacation', 'holiday', time away has come to an end for most Americans. And tomorrow is "back to reality". An area journalist has called this "the joyless season" and "the cold depressing season of 'now what?' " and our "bleakest 31 days". (Josh Shaffer, Raleigh, NC News and Observer, January 1, 2017).
As a therapist, I have seen many clients who deal with Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder. Among the generally efficacious methods of dealing with that malaise is LIGHT, literally and metaphorically. Offsetting January's lethargy and tug towards sloth and indolence requires what Mr. Shaffer termed a "vow to resist January". Reading his article prompts my curiosity to search for activities other than veg-ing and napping. Reaching for the 'heroic' --- like lose 20 pounds this month or go to the gym twice as often --- need not be the focus. Maybe something as mundane as reading a long-postponed book or something as archaic as writing letters to someone(s) with whom contact has languished.
It may just be that 'reality' does not have to mean 'boring'.
Satchel
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Interesting, Dr. Ron (Satchel). I was thinking as I read it about a Fulbright appointment that I pursued and almost took at the University of Tromso in Norway years ago. Tromso is the world's third largest community north of the Arctic Circle, and although due to the Gulf Stream or some such it has a rather mild winter climate the polar night there lasts from late November until mid-January! I didn't go, not because of that but because my wife couldn't get leave to go with me. But I heard from a Fulbrighter there that the whole community parties all the way through the polar night. He gave details. But it seemed to me that all that depression people feel in this cold time of year would settle in on me almost as inescapable claustrophobia in the month and a 2/3 of polar night in Tromso. I wonder what kind of mental problems psychologists treat in that town in winter.
ReplyDeleteIts so true, many friends and family discuss how low they start feeling after the holidays. Excitement over the holidays falls to "I'm so depressed," within a week of New Years. I have seen it over and over. Oh to have milder and sunnier days through Jan. would be ideal. Snow is even fun on a sunny cold day. I love to tube and sled ride. But oh that rain and dampness. Maybe we could come up with a large lamp to light a house???? Thanks be, I got 4 new books for Christmas. take care Peggy
ReplyDeleteThis is why I don't close my blinds in the winter (or ever). It's all about the LIGHT!
ReplyDelete