If you suffer from seasonal depression, you are not alone. It’s completely normal to feel blue and like winter will never-fucking-end by this time of year on the east coast. We’ve been suffering from it for years, it’ll pop up for a day – but run away quick as a scared chihuahua when we follow the steps below. All of these things listed may seem like little, strange steps – but we promise they work – and on top of working each have scientific proof (just google.) The people writing this article here at GirlieGirlArmy.com HQ have all long suffered different stages of depression, anxiety, and SED.. so we know from which we jot.
Read on;
- First step: get in a boiling hot shower. Let the water cascade down your skin – particularly your head, heart chakra, and temples. Stay in as long as you can stand it – 10 minutes optimal. Wash with something soothing in a scent you love, for us that’s roses, put in a hair and face mask if you can muster it. Be kind to yourself from the outside in. Let the hot water wash away the crap vibes. Tell your body it’s strong, capable, and sexy. When you’ve turned off the water, dry brush to rev up your lymphatic system. Then spray your face with a rose water spray. Close your eyes and breath it all in. Let it take away the bullshit. Then moisturize really well with your fanciest moisturizer, or coconut oil mixed with a little essential oil. Even if it feels like you’re just going through the motions – do these things. These are self-care, life affirming actions that show your body & soul that you are loved. Here are some of our favorites – use yours, or try ours:
- Dry off and sit down in the sun. Find a sunny chunk coming somewhere in your home. Even if it’s a tiny sliver your cats usually seek out in the kitchen, just put a pillow and yoga mat down right there. Lay in that space. Don’t think any thoughts if you can bear it, just exist on the floor – feeling your bones settle into the ground. Have as much sun as you can take. Let the sun burn off the negativity. Visualize it all being burned off. If your home has no sun, throw on your coziest sweats and go outside searching sun. Find a bench or stoop to sit on where it’s sunny and sit there for a little while thinking no thoughts – just feeling the sun. Then automatically come home and put on a full spectrum lamp on. Here’s the one we use below. Carry on with your normal tasks.
- This one is more of a long-term, but take the dang supplements you are supposed to take in winter – namely vitamin D, a great multi-vitamin, a couple of oregano oil drops, an adaptogen, and elderberry. The ones we use are below. Play with ratios til you find what works best for you. We are pretty obsessed with Catalyst Gold from Herbalore, and have felt a serious psychological lift since taking these pills. We’ve been taking 4, two times a day, and swear by the powerful apoptogenic herbs in this combo. This is the kind of supplement that people with SED are dumping their paxil for. Couple this with a little CBD oil in any combo that works for you. We drink CBD in a nightly chamomile tea from Buddha Tea, which you can buy here – but some others on our team prefer the hyped and beloved Wildflower brand, which come in a zillion ways to imbibe from vaping to oils. The CBD tea is unique, in that there is no actual oil, because water and oil don’t mix, so they figured out a process that converts the oil to nano sized particles that dissolve in water, thus maximizing the bioavailability. Let us remind you, CBD oil does NOT get you wasted. It’s a slow, gradual realization that “holy shit, this stuff actually works.”
- Next up – your environment! Cleanse the air in your home, if you can afford a good air purifier, get one. If not, hide charcoal bags around the space to suck out odor and moisture. Light a candle or incense that smells heavenly to you. Love the fuck out of your space – buy a new rug, send yourself flowers, ask friends for their furniture rejects, scroll apartment therapy for fancy furniture on a dime, move your couch or other furniture pieces around. Create a fresh layout. Change out your sheets to your absolute comfiest. Add extra blankets on top – fake fur or sherpa. Have a few candles and salt lamps going. A fresh start physically manifest a fresh start mentally.
- ORGASMS. Yea, we said it. Even if it’s the LAST THING ON EARTH you are interested in doing, have sex with your partner or masturbate. Orgasms are crazy good for you, they release oxytocin and endorphins akin to running or yoga.. which you should also really do if you’re trying to beat the blues without a handful of pills. Get it on with yourself and your partner, and start slow at the gym by walking on a treadmill or taking a starter yoga class. A daily exercise and orgasm practice changes everything.. *everything.* You’ll find yourself standing up just that much straighter even after the first day doing this. Your vagine or peen will thank you too.
- Wear the comfiest clothes in the whole wide world: we are talking sweatpants, hooded sherpa onesies, L7 t-shirts from 1997, whatever girl! Get into your juiciest hyyge place, and dig into your favorite food – for us that’s kimchee and a kombucha! Now is the time to stop thinking about yourself and think about someone else: the furry ones. Yep, adopt a cat or dog or other pet in need. Animals are famous for being emotionally supportive for those struggling. Jump in a car and drive over to your closest animal shelter. Look into the eyes and souls of each animal, the universe will guide you towards your furry soulmate. This relationship will enrich you in ways you never thought possible. If you feel like you can’t commit – now is the time to foster. Not an animal person.. what kind of asshole are you anyway? JK (sort of) .. there are so many other opportunities to volunteer for those in need from your very own home office. Every single non profit has opportunity to volunteer remotely – whether it’s editing text, helping with social media, going through your old sheets to donate them to a homeless shelter, or stuffing envelopes.. there’s always an opportunity for those who want to help. In fact, we are so down to help others, we will personally help you find a volunteer opportunity if you comment below with your location and interests! It’s easy, DM your favorite non profit via social media and ask to volunteer, you will not get a no. Another way to help is by going Kon Mari and cleansing your entire space! The psychological benefits to a solid clean out are endless. Donate the fuck out of your old shmatas. Everything in its place, and a place for everything will calm you. Repetitive tasks are healing, fold your tee shirt drawer. Trust us.
And finally, LE DUH, don’t be a dumbass, take antidepressants if the misery won’t go away. We love this feminist shrink for meds and therapy in the NYC area, lot’s of ladies from our crew go to her and love her – she even does telephone sessions. Do not suffer for no reason – depression is a dangerous ‘c you next tuesday’ – don’t mess around with her. Antidepressants do not always have to be long-term solutions, and they can save your life when you need them. There’s NO stigma around throwing down a low dose of paxil for a few years while shit calms down. Do what you gotta do, Queen. Remember this mantra: “Be your own best Mommy. Mommy knows best.” And even if you are on Zoloft, there’s no reason to not follow the above rules while you’re on your path to joy. Remember: fake it til you make it. We got you, Ma.