“Bare trees, gray light.” The words are simple and elegant when Fleetwood Mac sings them, but the reality of a cold gray day in Buffalo is very different. And we’ve had too many of those days.
According to Liz Jurkowski, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, Buffalo had 28 sunless days in January – and two of the days that did have sun were also partly cloudy.
Buffalo is also still recovering from the last in a series of heartbreaking playoff losses. Enough said about that.
It’s time to cheer up. Fast.
Fortunately for everyone, the remedies for sports fan depression and basic seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are very similar.
The first remedy is well-known. When I crowdsourced the SAD issue on social media recently, the responses almost unanimously – and defiantly – embraced the outdoors.
“We joined the WNY Winter Hiking Challenge. You see everyone’s posts and photos and get a prize after.” – Tara Taylor-Murphy, School of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo
“Nothing makes me happier than skiing or hiking on a cold day while it’s snowing.” – Josh Wilson, Erie County Department of Environment and Planning
“Hiking in the winter is my favorite because there’s less people and the woods are so lovely and quiet.” – Johanna Dominguez, owner, Put a Plant on It
“I second being outside and getting fresh air and exercise. Hiking, walking, birding, just really being exposed to your surroundings in some sort of active way.” – Ellen Owens, director, Castellani Art Museum
Interestingly, experts on sports fan depression say much the same. Professional counselors like Anthony J. Centore, of Thriveworks, and Nora Larson, of Cleveland Recovery Resources, advise sufferers to seek positive self-care activities like communicating with family and friends, taking a walk or engaging in other outdoor activities.
Football fans are resilient and not just in Buffalo. Yale psychiatry resident…
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