Depressed after Christmas

LegacyUser

Every year in January i get really depressed, this year is no different, before Christmas im rushing around buying presents, Enjoying the atmosphere in town, planning my Christmas nights out, now its all over im back to being fed up and bored and to make matters worse all my friends are either in Australia or going!!!!

Neyite

Thats what new years resolutions are for
But instead of denying yourself something, like dieting or something that will make you more deprived, do something new - learn a hobby, join a night class, host a come-dine-with-me type night with friends, join a social club. Do something that you need to work up the courage for - whether its a parachute jump for charity or speed dating. Challenge yourself.

Last year I decided I would learn to cook more things that were new to me, so I browsed the cookery forum and picked a new recepie every 3-4 weeks. This year I'm continuing on but adding in trying to bake a bit more. And I want to learn to knit.

Beruthiel

January and February are pretty crappy months.
I have found that an Xbox 360 and a few good games will have March here before I know it!

LegacyUser

i was in town last week, it was lashing rain,Christmas decorations all down, everyone looks so glum, and were only 10 days into January..........will it ever end

Rhys Essien

Hang on in there.Paddys weekend is only 2 months away.

Taltos

OP - you have gotten some great advice above.

Only thing I will add is after reading your lost post I felt I had to add this, am going to try not to be harsh but find that difficult sometimes.
- Only YOU have the power or ability to change how you are seeing things. Your last sentence "will it ever end" struck a chord with me but not in a good way.

Like many - I am not fond of the dark mornings and dark evenings, it seems we spend all our day in an office and rarely get to see the daylight. It can be very easy to wallow in the post holiday blues, whether it is the anti-climax of Christmas, or a result of SADS and the dark days only you really can do anything here to make things better for yourself.

Here are a few tips.
1. If these feelings are extreme and you really don't see a way out - please go talk to your GP, bring notes of how you have been feeling as chances are when you get to the GP it will be daytime and you will unconsciously forget how low you have felt.
2. Keep busy - set targets...
> one mate of mine is now in training for the Connemara half marathon, this has two great side-effects.
>> a) He is looking forwards to a great weekend away in March/April.
>> b) Exercise releases endorfins and combats the crappy feelings the darkness brings

I too used to go out jogging and always found that great, not only for stress but also just to make me feel better about myself physically - that way I could eat as much chocolate as I wanted and not worry about it. Unfortunately though overdid it a while back and jogging may be permanently off the cards for me, I had planned to run the Connemara again this year for the 2nd time so while my friend is going I am stuck here wishing I had taken more care.

If you can't exercise here are some other things you can do, find a hobby and dive into it
- eg books; gaming (my lifesaver right now); etc
- maybe join a gym or a social club.

Finally if you have the odd drink and weird as this sounds stop right now - alcohol is a depressant and you will be amazed at how differently you can see things when there is zero drink in your system.

Hope this helps.