The cure for what ails you

    My wife jokes that this forum is my therapy, and she's only partially kidding, but she's only partially right.


    She and I have both flirted with (or done some serious foreplay with) depression at times in our lives, so we're familiar with what it feels like. The dullness in your head, the weight inside you, the lack of interest....some of you know, too. Seasonal Affective Disorder runs in my family (along with a few other lovely genetic markers), and although I've never been diagnosed because I've never let a Navy doc that far into my head, I have no doubt I have some similar effects. The worst part of the year for me is from fall Daylight Savings until after the new year. At the Academy, they call part of that period the Dark Ages, and boy, is it. I hate it, especially here in SE VA, where it is grey and rainy all damn winter.


    So, back to therapy. This forum. You guys. And driving the Slingshot every single day I can. I've been paying attention to how I've been feeling, and the truth is, I feel pretty damn good. Worse when it rains for two weeks straight so I can't ride, but that's easy to get through, knowing it's waiting for me out there.


    So....thanks. That doesn't seem like enough to say, but it's what I got. The jokes, picking on, nagging, laughter, the giving and sharing...the cameraderie and family. Yeah. Thank you.

    For me... I call it the " 90 days of gray"! I know exactly where you are and I have to pull myself out of bed some days. I just keep reminding myself the Sun will come out soon and it will be better!

    Quote from Painter

    For me... I call it the " 90 days of gray"! I know exactly where you are and I have to pull myself out of bed some days. I just keep reminding myself the Sun will come out soon and it will be better!

    I got the '90 days of gray' myself. Problem was, I got 90 days for getting caught with someone under the age of 18 in that bed with me.

    Nobody gets outta here ALIVE

    @KayTwo, well said. Until you have had those feelings, you don't understand that you can't just talk yourself out of them. When your life seems to others to be so good, people can't fathom why you should be depressed. There's a reason I no longer live in Washington State!

    @KayTwo I try to mix it up as much as possible. Simple things like driving the SS into work this morning and taking the long way over the dam at Lake Lanier. I time it so I get to watch the sun rise over the lake. Had a smile on my face and thanked God for allowing me to have a wonderful life.

    Proud supporter of S.O.G.

    (Slingshot Owners Group)

    :thumbsup:

    Owner/operator: MeanSling LLC :thumbsup:

    I too, have struggled with S.A.D. I've never been officially diagnosed. However, like you @KayTwo, I've found things that help.... some more than others. This forum is a great distraction from the season and weather. Other than one 20 mile run a couple of weekends ago, our 'Sling has been parked since Nov 18th. That's the day my son had back surgery, and I serviced the 'Sling knowing I'd be busy helping take care of both my property, his property, not to mention my parents estate which is now pending sale.


    The other thing (other than sunshine and warmth, any time spent there is priceless) that I've found as helpful as anything, is my focus. The bottom line here to remember is this.... we all have bad things in our lives at times. However, much like the old biker rule (Look at the tree, hit the tree... or in other words "Look where you want to go") what your focus is on is the place you will reside. If you focus on the bad in your life, that eventually becomes the thing you see most prominently. On the other hand, all of us here likely have many blessings in our lives. Focus on those and after time, the bad seems to fade away. I started by looking at only one thing that I considered a blessing in my life, that I have my health. The next day I added one thing, that I have a great wife and partner in life. The list goes on, from a warm dry place to sleep, food to eat, kids (grandkids), down to as simple as a smile from a stranger during the day. It's all in how you look at it. Hey, in some places in this world, you might get shot at by a stranger.... a smile is much preferred! Eventually I had so many things I was thankful for that were good in my life, what little bad I have seems slight and very temporary.


    And you have a Slingshot.... hard to be depressed when driving one of these! I'm no doctor, but this has worked for me for a decade. My personal faith also is a great help, but I try to leave politics and religion at the door when entering the forum!

    I read all the previous heartfelt posts and I too have been there...fortunately for me I found a cure in my mid teens....

    The end all of cure alls!!! :00008172:

    I might not be right but I can sure sound like it

    Quote from Bill Martin

    I read all the previous heartfelt posts and I too have been there...fortunately for me I found a cure in my mid teens....

    The end all of cure alls!!! :00008172:

    Bill you found that in your teens and it is not empty yet?
    That's why they call it sippin whiskey

    The more people I meet

    The more I love my Dog!