Mental Health Monday

Temp Challenge . . . SAD . . . Road Trips

         Sunday, 10/14/18. When we got up yesterday there was snow on the ground, it was snowing, & the temperature was 30. I was too depressed to even do a Leckband Temp Challenge. But this seems like a nice segue to

Leckband Temp Challenge

After consulting both wunderground.com & weather.com, here are today's rankings & results.

• #6, Balmiest Leckbands, Eagan, MN, 32, feels like 32
• #5, Ventura, IA, 33, feels like 24
• #3,  TIE, Lincoln & Beatrice, NE, 31, feels like 26
• #2, Garrison, IA, 30, feels like 23
• #1, CHAMPION, Norfolk, NE, 28, feels like 19

This seems like a nice segue to

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Signs & symptoms

• Feeling depressed most of the day, every day
• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Having low energy
• Having problems w/sleeping
• Experiencing changes in your appetite or weight
• Feeling sluggish or agitated
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
• Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide

Fall & Winter SAD

• Oversleeping
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for food high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Tiredness or low energy.

Source:  mayoclinic.org

MY COMMENTS:  SAD can often accompany clinical depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders. It often happens in fall or winter. If you review the list above & feel like many of the symptoms are familiar to you, you should seek a mental health provider. There are ways to cope, & he/she can help.

Road Trips

I really look forward to road trips. This week we're heading to Dallas on THU 10/18. On FRI 10/19 we'll pick up some family members from the airport & head to Nocona, TX, for our niece Katie's wedding. Her father & mother are Lois' little brother David & my cousin Carmen, so Katie is both a niece & a 2nd cousin. We'll be back in Nebraska on MON 10/22.