…for Seasonal Affective Disorder! 🫠
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, typically comes on for folks when the days start getting shorter, and daylight is at a minimum.
For me, I never realized that I really had it, as I had been away from the Northwest, living in either California or Texas, for so long. It wasn’t until coming back up here in 2016 that I realized I might be affected by this.
It certainly was no coincidence that my husband took his life in the month of February, in only our second Winter up here.
Every year, once Autumn rolls in, I usually white-knuckle it until March, when the clouds start to lift for me.
Until last Winter.
We had an abundance of sunnier days than normal. Winter Solstice seemed to arrive quickly, and before I knew it, the days were already getting longer again. It was then that I realized that my SAD wouldn’t be so bad if I lived somewhere where it wasn’t usually overcast and foggy for most of Winter and Spring.
This year, I was actually excited for this time of year, as I had gotten back into one of my previous loves from before I met Bret, ice hockey. As a result of that, and for a nice handful of sunny days, my SAD, once again, hasn’t been so bad. In fact, it wasn’t until last night that I felt like I might be feeling the seasonal blahs, which is pretty good considering our days will start getting longer again in just two weeks!
I still hate how it feels like midnight at 5:00, but that doesn’t last. The wheel of the year is constantly turning, and it will be lighter at this time once more, in just a month or so.
Having something to be passionate about during this time of the year has been a big help. If I were giving advice about how to make it through this time of year, I’d certainly advocate for getting some kind of hobby related to the season.
This time of year is also tough for me as a series of Bret-related dates start in October and don’t end until February. With each passing year, though, they get a little easier to deal with.
Time really is the great equalizer when dealing with loss and grief. ⏱️
Sunshine is also important. 🌞
(Hockey helps too.) 🏒 🥰
—
Support Widows This Holiday Season!
About Layla Beth Munk
Layla Beth Munk is a blogger & author who was thrust into this widowhood journey abruptly and tragically on February 11, 2018. Her husband of 12 years had ended his pain once and for all. She soon made the decision that she would not let his final decision define the rest of her life or their daughter’s life, so with her sense of humor at the helm, she started writing about her newfound station in life. Grief waves still get to her, and probably always will, but with the help of her fellow widows as well as friends and family, she has been able to realize her dream of becoming a published author! Layla is so grateful to Hope For Widows Foundation for providing this level of support to her, and so many others! Layla has two amazing children, one who is grown and one who is almost grown. She lives in eastern Oregon and has a wellness & beauty background. Layla enjoys writing poetry, watching anime, and homeschooling her daughter.
Her blog can be found at laylabethmunk.medium.com and her debut novella, 24 Hours in Vegas, is available on Amazon.