Fall is upon us, which means the return of apple cider, cooler days, and seasonal depression. Regardless of whether or not you struggle with depression for the rest of the year, the imminent threat of winter is getting closer, and the pain of living in November, a month-long Sunday, is becoming more real.
If I’m honest, I’m dreading the coming months. It’s the curse of being a Capricorn; you’re born in the worst time of year and you’re supposed to look forward to it(it’s also harder to be productive, which is the ultimate punishment for a Capricorn). Something about the sun setting at 5 just doesn’t sit right with me, and it makes me lay in bed for way too long feeling sorry for myself and watching way too much Netflix.
But after 3 episodes of BoJack Horseman, I start to feel something this terrible time of year doesn’t want me to: feeling something at all. A small smile from a line about the mortifying ordeal of being known, crying from a line that hit a little too close to home, or frustration over the titular horse being, well, the worst. Depression isn’t sadness, it’s emptiness. The next few months will be a struggle to feel anything at all, so any emotion is a victory. It’s a win to cry over Hallmark movies, or the turtles in Stern Garden doing literally anything(no judgement, I’ve been there). Even if all you can do is get out of bed and maybe brush your teeth, it’s better than nothing.
Seasonal depression is real, and it affects more people than you would think. No matter what you’re feeling, you’re not alone and the sun will come out again.
RESOURCES:
Counseling Center: 843-953-5640, counseling@cofc.edu
Students 4 Support: text “4support” to 839863
Collegiate Recovery Program: 843-693-5975, marchantww@cofc.edu