In the field of psychology, there is a mood disorder aptly termed "SAD" (seasonal affective disorder), affecting people during the winter season. A person afflicted with "the winter blues" experiences depressive symptoms similar to those cited above.
The exact causes of this disorder are unknown, although it is commonly attributed to chemical changes in the brain caused by lack of sunlight, which in turn adversely affects one's mood.
Although we do not have winter here, I guess the same principle applies to us, when we do not get a glimpse of sunlight for days, or weeks, on end.
Don't get me wrong; I do not dread the rainy season. Although it's quite annoying to have soggy shoes, to wear clothes smothered with fabric conditioner you can't even smell your own perfume, and to sit in a musty car with a dampness that seems conducive to mushroom cultivation, I actually love this season.
Sure, it does bring about gloom, but look on the bright side. You can do a lot with your time when you're stuck at home on a rainy day.
Here are some tested depression busters:
CURL UP WITH A GOOD BOOK. A rainy day is a good reason to stay home, wear your really old, tattered shirt and pajamas, and read. You can go for great classics (Pride and Prejudice, Catcher in the Rye, Wuthering Heights); legal novels (by authors John Grisham or Scott Turrow); suspense-thrillers (Angels and Demons, Da Vinci Code); or pop lit picks like Harry Potter 1 to 7, Twilight Series, The Notebook and other Nicholas Sparks romances.
If you are the type who would not rebel against a little preaching that comes with motivational books, then you can feed your mind with the wise words of Robert Kiyosaki in Rich Dad, Poor Dad; Rhonda Byrne in The Secret; or any book written by Bo Sanchez.
If you are looking for entertainment in the form of commentaries and essays, then Twisted series it is, by my second demi-goddess Jessica Zafra (my first demi-goddess spells O-P-R-A-H); also in this category are RJ Ledesma's Lies my Yaya Should Have Told Me, and Marivi Soliven Blanco's Suddenly Stateside.
BE A COUCH POTATO. Go ahead, indulge in a cozy rainy afternoon watching movies or the boob tube. As with books, the choices are endless, although this time you can waste time in a no-brainer and not feel bad about it...except when the ending is really awful (ha ha). Is the rainy season really affecting your moods? Try watching reruns (or DVDs) of Friends, a sitcom about the lives of six friends, 30-somethings in New York. The humor is just great -- it's actually free Prozac.
WHIP UP SOME SOUL FOOD. You may be averse to just lying down, doing nothing but reading or watching videos. (What's wrong with you??!!) Anyway, if you are gifted with culinary skills, then you can prepare meals to lighten up others' spirits -- prepare ginataan (bilo-bilo), perfect combo champorado and tuyo, the highlands favorite pinikpikan or pinapaetan, or just plain chicken soup for the disheartened soul. Rainy days may dampen the spirits, but not the appetite.
CUDDLE AND SNUGGLE. This is, by far, the best remedy for rainy day blues. Be it with your hubby or with your adorable kids, or alone, just stay in bed. Listen to the sound of raindrops, and feel the cool air. Meditate, think, be still.
"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."
- Anthony J. D'Angelo
