Coping in winter?

[StarChild]

I know that winter is hard for a lot of people, and as Solstice was just a day or two ago, I thought it would be good to build up a list of ways to cope specifically with the winter cold, bad weather, lack of sunlight, flu season, etc.

Personally, I find that I SI more in the winter months, and the past few years I've ended up inpatient in January. It's like January rolls around and suddenly everything is awful. I really don't want to go inpatient again, but I am willing to do it...I guess I kinda want to prove to myself that I CAN get through winter without being self-destructive.

So please post anything that helps you get through winter, or things you'd be willing to try. Here's a few of mine:

Hot showers (to combat the cold)
Mood therapy light (this has worked WONDERS for me)
Getting some exercise when it's warm enough, or walking at an indoor mall if it's really bad weather
Trying to sleep at night, and less during the day (avoiding day/night reversal, getting more sunlight)

Please add on to this if you have any winter-specific coping strategies.

xx loki

[Lillia]

Hi loki. I find winter the hardest too. I hope it's going ok for you.

Hot showers are a great idea. I always feel sort of loved after a hot shower.

I sometimes find that wearing bright colours makes me feel a bit better in the dull grey weather. Woolly hats and colourful socks are the best: they're funny and practical

Also hot chocolate, so at least I can be warm on the inside.

Sometimes, it can help to watch a TV programme or a film that's set somewhere warm and summery so that I get lost in a different season. But then again, that sometimes just makes it worse. It depends on how I'm feeling.

Flowers. Even if they're grown artificially in some factory or something, having a little bit of summer in your home brightens it up a bit while you wait for the weather to follow.

These are just silly little things that I try to do in winter to keep my spirits up. xxx

[StarChild]

These are just silly little things that I try to do in winter to keep my spirits up. xxx

Not silly if they help you! I love your suggestions. Especially having flowers. My peace lily has started a blossom for the first time in 3 years. He is a stubborn little dude but finally, a beautiful flower! It's brightening up my winter

xx loki

[Alexander]

It's summer now but I just found this and wanted to add mine:

I had a heating pad underneath and an electric blanket on top of me, and I referred to it as the 'panini press.'

LOTS of hot tea. OH so much hot tea. Also microwaved diet cream soda.

November: National Novel Writing Month. Though not technically winter, when I participate it keeps my mood up through a lot of the hardest parts of December, including the anniversary of my husband's death and how teeth-grinding I find all the Christmas stuff for reasons.

Picking a director or genre of movies to absorb myself in totally. One year: Hitchcock. Another year: Hayao Miyazaki. Another year: David Lean.

Fuzzy socks.

Heaters in the bathroom turned way up high so getting out of the hot shower won't be a system shock of so, SO cold.

More tea. Also books. Especially re-reading old friends.

Coping ahead for February a.k.a. the coldest/worst month for me: getting support systems in place and briefed, dropping all non-essential commitments, stocking up food & necessities, planning for snowy, icy, & windy days where going outside is not possible.


Love,
Holly

[Lillia]

It's winter again and it's that really difficult (for me at least) bit after Christmas where everything feels sort of hopeless and eternal so I thought I'd revisit this thread for ideas to keep me up through the coming months. I also have a few things to add since I last came.

Firstly, music. My family is always very busy at Christmas and that means it's noisy so when I go back to my flat after Christmas, it always feels empty and silent so I listen to music and try to find really upbeat stuff to fill my room a little. Funny stuff like parodies and things often lift my spirits somewhat.

Also tea. HollyGoLightly, you are absolutely right, tea is the best in winter.

Other than these, I do try to get out and about a bit in January. I'm always inclined to sit inside waiting for my sister or my mum to come on skype after we spend time together over the holidays but I try to go against that urge and get on with my own life as much as possible. That one's the hardest though.

Christmas is important for my family but I know that for some it's not really a big thing so January is often tricky for me but it gets better after that. I hope everyone's doing okay though and that the difficult months coming up don't get you down to much.

[StarChild]

Hi everyone! I am finding that winter running (when it's not bitterly cold or horribly windy or raining) has helped me a lot. I'm also using a SAD therapy light (mine is by Sphere Gadgets, you can get it on Amazon).

This is probably the best winter I've had in years, though today is a bit difficult.