When I first got divorced I was sad. Not really depressed but probably more than just run of the mill sad. In the winter it was particularly bad, I went to work when it was dark and came home when it was dark. There were entire days I never saw the sun. When I wasn’t at work, I just wanted to sleep. I would come home from work, throw something together for dinner and then nap on the couch until Hailey woke me up for bed.
After a few weeks I realized there was a problem, my house was a mess, my work was suffering and I was spending absolutely no time with my child. I knew I had to do something. I started researching this sleepiness on the internet and came up with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This is described as episodes of depression that occur during winter and fall but get better in spring and summer. That sounded exactly like me.
I took some of the advice I read and made an effort to get out into the sun every day, I walked on my lunch break, just so I could feel the sun on my face. That helped but so did getting my butt off the couch. I found that if I kept myself busy I wasn’t as tired.
If you suffer from real depression, please, see your doctor. If you are just a little sad, like I was, change your routine, eat better, get some exercise, anything but lay around. Now that I know what is in store for me every winter I’m able to head it off. Luckily for me, my winter depression is mild and a change in routine will help me. I make sure to visit friends in the winter and to have something to look forward to, even if it’s just baking Christmas cookies.
Do not hesitate to tell your friends and family if you are feeling depressed. Being a single parent can mean that we are isolated from other adults who would notice the symptoms of depression, so it’s up to you to take care of yourself. There is no stigma to asking for help with depression, millions of people, every day, need help. Reach out, get the help you need, you and your children will be happier if you do.