Happiness and the weather

[Jon]

I hope I haven't posted on this already, but do you think the weather affects mood and happiness? I recall having read something that this is a myth, but that seems counter-intuitive to me. I am sure I feel happier when the sun is shining!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Weather-affective disorder is well known in cities that have hot summers and very cold winters. The northern cities in the USA, such as New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Detroit, and a few others are well known for issues. Seattle used to have the highest suicide rate in the USA because of their extreme weather issues.

 

[Jon]

I've often wondered if SAD is distinctly different from just feeling worse due to the weather. I've often wondered if the SAD condition is really just a cutoff point on a continuum, where all of us feel slightly worse with each increment of declining weather. Then, the psychologists decide on an arbitrary cutoff point to say, "There, you are SAD there!"

Frasier and co all looked happy to me, despite their family troubles I know that sitcom was Seattle based. Does it have a great big snow topped mountain on the horizon too, from memory?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

You refer to Mt. Ranier, which is to the southeast of Seattle. It is interesting for driving because you can follow a road partway around it and DAMN it's a scary road. If you are driving west while going around the north side of the mountain, your passenger can look down and see nothing but a guard rail and a steep slope. Nor does it have continuous shoulders for vehicles to pull over in emergencies. Every few miles there is a pull-over lane. If it is windy and snowy at the time, it is decidedly NOT for the faint of heart.