To feel low about it getting dark early

[mintywinter]

I can't explain it really cos it's not logical, but these dark evenings seem to be making me feel anxious. Maybe everything seems worse this year with the cost of living and the constant bad news. I also feel less like going out in the evenings when it gets dark so early.

yeah I find it depressing for this exact reason. This year I'm forcing myself out in the dark for walks as I need to lose more weight but it's definitely not as fun. It doesn't feel safe walking through the parks I'd go to on light evenings so it's a far less interesting trudge along the well-lit streets. And with the price of energy I can't do what I did last year and just go on the treadmill so much either.

It's definitely not as depressing as Jan/Feb though - at least there will soon be Christmas lights up to brighten up the darkness. Jan and Feb are just bleak.

I hate it. I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. I am the human equivalent of a mole.

www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight

This link is helpful as to why mood can drop come winter.
SAD lights can help, getting outdoors when it's bright as much as you can, exercise.

I’m with you OP. I was diagnosed with SAD finally last year and this is hell. It’s raining and so so windy here, pitch black already I feel so isolated from the world.
strongly recommend a SAD lamp and vitamin D.

not long until the shittest shortest day then once that’s over and done with it’ll be spring soon!
id do anything to be able to hibernate, feel abit unkind saying that as both my and my daughters birthday is October and she loves Halloween/Xmas etc but it’s always overshadowed by me being a miserable teary cow

I hate it too. I feel really sad for weeks as soon as the clocks go back and I really wish we didn't do it. I prefer lighter evenings.

I don't like the winter months at all. I cope by counting down until 22 of December (that's winter solstice, isn't it) and then telling myself that the worst is over - days will begin very slowly lengthening again.

Left to myself I'd hibernate from early November until the end of the following February!

I'm the opposite, I love it when the clocks go back. For the last month when I've been getting up it's been completely dark and I've had to wait hours for it to get light.

Today I nipped out to get cash out at 7.15 and it was lovely and light.

YANBU. I absolutely hate it. So miserable. I thought I couldn't hate it any more (always been a late riser, hate coming home alone in the dark) but now I have small children, it's even shitter, they have no idea, it's screwed up bedtime, they get up too early AGAIN.

It's so stupid, it would make sense if we were an agrarian economy and all had to till the fields at 6am but guess what we don't AND they make headlights for tractors now. Wish they'd stop it!!!

January surely. The post Xmas blues and nothing really happens.

I can see why you say January but in some ways March is worse as it’s STILL going on, whereas Jan you’re right at the start of the miserable bit

January is not too bad imo...I'm usually relieved Christmas is over, happy kids are back at school and we've had the shortest day so evenings will only get lighter

January is definitely the worst month, grey, cold and feels like it goes on forever. The celebration is definitely over, the cheery adverts with food and bubbly and parties are replaced with slimming world cos we're all fat fuckers.
Everyone is poor, skint, sober and it's cold and dark.

Are the ‘cosy’ brigade a different species of human?

The dark is oppressive and I can’t wait until lighter spring days start appearing again.

You should move closer to the equator. I left the UK as I could not stand the long, dark days for six months of the year. I used to get that horrible feeling of dread in October that wouldn't leave me, it was like a ball in my stomach.

But it's so pointless to hate something that comes around every year which you can't change and is a natural and necessary process, all you can change is your attitude towards it. If you really hate seasons then it would be best to go and live in a country where the light and seasons don't change so profoundly. Personally I would miss them.

March? But by March it’s often quite warm.
Blossom on the trees. Starting to need to mow the lawn again.
I’ve just checked my March photos and we were it t-shirts outside for some days of it! - perhaps that’s not that typical, but still - pleasant some days is normal. January is never ending coldness.

I think I must be. It's the long days I find oppressive. I hate not getting a decent amount of calm night darkness before going to bed.

I don’t hate January, the worst seems to be over and there’s optimism that spring is coming. Plus I like the fact that shops have Easter stuff in almost immediately after New Year’s Day!

The cold doesn't really bother me, just the dark. Gloomy, damp days are horrible because it is murky all day.

That is the way I feel and many others do too. My DH also hates the dark mornings and evenings, but mainly the evenings.

I would happily live in Sweden in the summer because it doesn't really get dark. But would never cope with their winters.

Moving abroad is not an option

I'm a summer person and don't like the winter period but after Christmas, weather permitting, I walk down my garden path every day and look into the borders. It might take a week or two but as soon as I see the daffodil bulbs and buds on shrubs starting to show, I instantly feel so much better, it's a massive sign that spring isn't that far off.

I also read the bulb and plant brochures I get sometimes in magazines or newspapers, that also makes me feel that the better weather and lighter days are on their way.

I would happily live in Sweden in the summer because it doesn't really get dark. But would never cope with their winters.

My DH once went to a conference in Sweden. Was kept awake all night by the bloody birds.

Me and DH spent a month in Sweden and I slept better there than I ever have.

I was looking at the sunrise and sunset times for Kiruna in Sweden the other day! From the middle of December and through to January it’s dark all day. Omg I couldn’t cope with that at all. However I’ll take their summers

Yes I could definitely live there for the summer but no way in the winter.

I hate the dark mornings and evenings - this time of year is the worst.

It is grey, cold and wet. Haven't seen any sun for over a week. I feel depressed

Me too, I even get a little boost at the winter solstice, knowing that the worst if past. The long hours of darkness are what I hate most about autumn and winter, especially when they change the clocks and it suddenly gets dark much earlier.