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Weather affecting mood?

Posted , 6 users are following.

lit53944
lit53944

I struggle with motivation (of course which comes hand in hand with depression) but when it's a grey day, rainy or thunderstorms or just cloudy - I feel so positive and upbeat, capable of doing anything.

I have tried using rain simulators to try and help.. But I have to know that it is really rain/bad weather outside for my mood to change so I wait for rainy days and then do all the things I've been needing to do.

I don't know how to fix this?

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • hypercat
    hypercat lit53944

    Posted

    Does it need fixing?   I can't find motivation to do anything whether rainy or sunny.  x
    • Tancam
      Tancam hypercat

      Posted

      hypercat, have you tried making a list of what you wish you could feel motivated about? Sometimes, the mind gets scrambled up and I find list helps a little bit. Then you can do what you can do when you can do.

      One motto that helps me at times - and perhaps you can modify it to something that suits you is: 'It all has to be done, so I'll just begin anywhere'

      Hope you'll find a way. Nothing is too small to begin with.

    • lit53944
      lit53944 hypercat

      Posted

      For me, I'm in the process of trying to kickstart my life again so I'm trying to understand these weird parts of who I am and improve them rolleyes
  • Tancam
    Tancam lit53944

    Posted

    A very interesting input lit53944, because I think I can relate to some of it. I have friends who get depressed and cannot function during the dark months of the year (they suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder). What we forget and/or rarely hear of is that this can also happen, for some, during the bright months.

    Nowadays - with the weather taking spontanious and unexpected turns; Who is to know when darkness will fall and sun will reign? It becomes confusing, - just like the birds in the city being confused by all the artificial lights disturbing their natural night.

    Personally, I function and focus best when it's dark out there, when it's full moon rather than sparkling sunshine, at dusk and dawn rather than daytime. at autumn and spring rather than full-on summer or unpredictable winter. I think (and it is indeed only a theory) that, apart from something chemical or biological which some of us may possess; It is a form of control: If it is dark, you can decide how much light you wish there to be - a candle, spotlight, dimmed light etc but you cannot escape the glare of a full-on sun and, that might be distracting.

    There is also a peer pressure to be productive by day and making expensive plans for summer holidays (perhaps including the stress of being fit on the beach...just a thought.). There are a lot of expectations that come with brightness.

    Somehow, it has become more socially acceptable to recluse in the darker months. This 'permit' to do so, gives freedom to be unquestioned and that gives a chance to focus without disturbance.

    • lit53944
      lit53944 Tancam

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. What you're saying makes a lot of sense and yes the peer pressure is one of the reason I'm trying to stop being so dependant on the weather (considering I can't control it) because it makes it hard to socialise, I've not met anyone yet who feels the way I do about weather and how strongly I'm affected by it.

      I'm very thankful for autumn and winter, if I could I think I would choose to live in the rainiest place I could find. It's silly of me really.

  • nacho82802
    nacho82802 lit53944

    Posted

    I feel like crap when it rains, your thing is very weird dude
    • lit53944
      lit53944 nacho82802

      Posted

      That seems to be the case whenever I try and find someone to relate too. Good weather just makes me miserable, no idea why.
    • AbbyJ
      AbbyJ nacho82802

      Posted

      Yeah the rain and clouds make me feel miserable, especially too many days in a row. I need some sunshine to feel functional.
  • elizabeth2244
    elizabeth2244 lit53944

    Posted

    I am the opisite i feel sluggish tired when its cold rainy and snowing outside i just don't want to do anything but lay around and stay in the house in bed
  • Digsby
    Digsby lit53944

    Posted

    Hi,

    This is an intriguing state of mind and one which could provoke a lot of discussion. Most people experience the reverse (and some of us can't get motivated whatever). It seems that your mood is based upon something external, or at least your mood responds positively to external factors. I don't know what my mood is going to be like when I wake up and looking out the window rarely changes the way I'm feeling. Is it like a switch inside you that flips when you see the bad weather? How is your mood when you open your eyes? Is it like a blank canvas that responds to what you see when you look out the window? It's very intriguing. I wonder if you could try to trick your brain (and I know the subconscious brain is not very easily fooled!) by darkened room, sound effects, pictures of stormy weather, etc.

    Where do you live? If you're in the UK then most of your days should be very productive but if you're in Florida you might want to think about moving ;-)

    For me, it's often about what I've arranged for myself to do or whether I'm actually looking forward to something that day - my motivation is a lot stronger if I have something non-stressful and purposeful to look forward to. Being able to motivate yourself as you do is not something necessarily to be "fixed"; I'd suggest it's something to try to understand and harness the energy so that you're not at the mercy of the elements so much.

    With best wishes,

    Digsby

    • lit53944
      lit53944 Digsby

      Posted

      Hello, yes it is like a switch. It is the only thing I've come across that changes my mood instantly. If I wake up and hear rain or see the dark grey clouds, I'm happy in some way rolleyes

      I do live in the UK which I'm thankful for, I visited family in America once and I was just so down and felt ill because of the sunshine and heat (I don't know whether part of my problem is because i get sick easily in summer).

      You're right, the one consistent thought I have is 'fix yourself and fix your problems'.. I guess thinking like that doesn't actually benefit me at all.

      Thank you for your repy.

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