Dreary Days in Paradise
-
1/22/2008
I have lived in beautiful Kirkland for almost 2 years now, and the gray, drizzly days have done me in! Having never suffered from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) before, even having lived where it was foggy for weeks at a time, this has been a major issue for me,living here. I actually LIKED gray days until I moved here! But SAD is a REAL thing, and I know it from personal experience now.
I have tried dawn-simulation lights (I highly recommend them), vitamins...you name it, but I can't seem to beat the depression I feel from living in this area. I happen to believe most people in the Seattle area suffer from a low-level depression and just don't realize it, or are too depressed to DO anything about it! It shows in the lack of colors people wear, the lack of makeup women wear (too depressed to enhance themselves? - a little would go a long way!), the dark colors people use in their homes and offices...I can't take it any more! I realized recently that no matter HOW much I work on my own happiness here it won't matter, since I'm surrounded by depressed people everywhere I go!
Don't get me wrong - it is truly BEAUTIFUL here - especially on the occasional sunny day, but this last year has been unbelievably dreary - only about 3 weeks total of sunny days since last spring! I really feel I've been lied to, since my first spring and summer here was gloriously sunny!
The other thing I find really hard to deal with is the difficulty of connecting with people here and making friends. People are "nice" but you can't get beyond a superficial relationship with them. As one woman I met recently who's lived in this area for over 20 years put it "It's as if people here HAVE enough friends and don't want any more!"
I never thought making friend would be a problem, since I am outgoing, friendly and the person who has all the fun dinner parties, but it's practically impossible to get people to connect here. Most of our friends moved here from other states, countries and feel the same way I do. I really understand why the locals hate us Californians...it's awful being around someone happy when you are depressed!
If you love to hibernate, cocoon and hide from the world, and still be near a city, this is the place for you. For me, I feel like I have retired, and am on my own. Perhaps I am more of a city person, but whatever the reason, I need more life than I find here!
Carol | Kirkland, WA