Snowed In & REAL TALK about S.A.D.

Todays post is a bit different, because in addition to my normal OOTD style post, I am also going to be sharing my thoughts and personal struggled with Seasonal Depression. Please let me know your thoughts and ideas about this topic. Wishing everyone a happy week!

Winter has been simply ghastly. I haven’t seen a winter in Portland so bad since 2009 when snow shut down the whole city. This year we’ve had snow storms three times as bad, plus one of the worst ice storms reported that sent hundreds of cars off the road and delayed traffic an average of 6 hours. This means eventual stir- crazy taking over the city as most of us have to huddle in and stay of the roads until it passes. If you suffer from season depression at all, this only adds to the feeling of heaviness and sadness we carry around. It’s definitely a bummer.

While I prefer to mostly send out positive messages and share encouraging posts, I feel like it’s important to BE REAL when appropriate and share the struggles too. I wanted to share my go-to 3 remedies for S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) that I’ve found helpful to get through the long winter season. My hope is that those suffering from similar disorders will find some hope and comfort in that you’re not alone.

1) SUNLAMPS

I have found a lot of luck with sunlamps, which are simply a bright light that mimics natural sunlight within your home. I set up my small sunlamp on a desk where the window is and keep it on all day while I work, etc. As the day goes on, my mind is essentially tricked to think that it’s a bright sunny day outside my window, so that when I wrap up my day, I’m surprised to realize that it’s dark outside by 5pm. This actually lifts my mood from day to day, especially as we lose daylight hours in the beginning of winter.

2) FRESH AIR

This may sound super simple, but the benefits of fresh oxygen, natural sunlight (even hidden beneath the clouds) and the physical activity of getting out of your house. I find that when I’m feeling my absolute worst, getting outside to walk the dogs or taking a short run instead of hitting the gym revitalized me, wakes me up and lifts that heaviness of my chest. If I can get my heart rate up, it also gives me natural endorphins that lift my mood and give me more energy. TRULY, just 5 minutes around the block make a major difference.

3) ANTI-DEPRESSANTS

Anti-depressants are a controversial remedy that I find a lot of modern women shying away from, but after throwing out my own doubts in exchange for a trial run 3 years ago, I am now a huge fan of temporary use. After suffering from longer and longer bouts of S.A.D each winter, I finally gave in and tried a low dose; It absolutely changed my life come winter. In anticipation of oncoming S.A.D I now get a prescription at the beginning of winter. It takes about 2 weeks for it to go into full affect and once it does, I find that I simply feel normal. I still feel sad some days, but it cuts out the aggravation and irritability along with overwhelming sense of heaviness I can feel. It’s pretty amazing. What I’ve had to come to terms with, is that a temporary use of this drug alters my mood just enough that I am a better mother and partner as well functional business woman. #worthit

I hope these ideas spark some hope and remind you that there are alternatives to feeling down all winter. Human beings are resourceful creatures and despite an unfriendly environment, we have options that really help. There IS light at the end of the tunnel.

This monochrome OOTD has a rock and roll vibe to it with fishnets peeking out of suede OTK boots and the belted faux-leather skirt adding a 90’s edge. You can see how I’ve previously styled my favorite white leather, moto jacket year-round here, here and here. This post includes gifted items from brands including this AWAY carry-on bag, that I have posted about several times on Instagram! I recommend this collection to anyone who travels frequently and wants easy to transport, stylish luggage.

This carry on in particular has made my short trips to Los Angeles a breeze, with a charging station for my phone and iPod BUILT INTO the actual bag. I love how light and easy it is to pull around and the storage pockets inside allow me to organize more items for a clean and easy packing day!

SHOP THE LOOK:

1. NY&Co Faux-Leather Moto Jacket

2. Forever21 Eye Print Sweater Top

3. ASOS PU Biker Mini Skirt (similar)

4. ASOS Fishnet Tights (similar)

5. Franco Sarto Kerri OKT Boots

6. Dionysus Suede Shoulder Bag

7. AWAY Carry On Bag

Photos by Jose Behar