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kangnam mafioso
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: Teheranno
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 Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Everybody gets the winter blues. Korean winters are rough ... maybe not so much for the Canucks, but being from the southern USA I found some days unbearable. I reached the terminal burn out stage at the beginning of year 2. Korea started to all look the same to me, and I started getting tired of just drinking, casual meaningless dating and sitting around in smoky PC bangs waiting around to teach the next silly group of Konglish heads. I got pretty depressed. I started studying Korean more seriously, working on some writing projects and spending more time lounging in the sauna instead of the PC rooms. A trip back to the states and Thailand also helped recharge the batteries. I also met some new people that helped create a more interesting social life. It will pass ... I emerged from my funk after a couple of months. If you don't .. get some help. It could be something more serious ... bipolar or seasonal depression. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Harpeau wrote: |
| I think it's possible for some to experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) here in Korea. It's not just a matter of cloudless days, but also the amount of light that is found this time of year |
Seasonal affective disorder is due to "lack of sunlight caused by the shorter and darker days of winter, darkened or indoor working places, and long cloudy spells".
Unlike back home where a 9 to 5 workday can mean limited sunlight in winter, going to work dark and going home dark too, here in Korea I don't work mornings and get plenty of sunlight shopping in the mornings, walking to work, just going out and about.
Lack of sunlight isn't the issue in this part of Korea.
Get out in the winter sun more in the mornings you hagwon ESLers that can, and see what changes you feel. A walk for a walk's sake can do marvels anyways.
On another front: It's also said that S.A.D. is hard to distinguish from depression in general. |
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Harpeau
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Coquitlam, BC
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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| VanIslander wrote: |
| Harpeau wrote: |
| I think it's possible for some to experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) here in Korea. It's not just a matter of cloudless days, but also the amount of light that is found this time of year |
Seasonal affective disorder is due to "lack of sunlight caused by the shorter and darker days of winter, darkened or indoor working places, and long cloudy spells".
Unlike back home where a 9 to 5 workday can mean limited sunlight in winter, going to work dark and going home dark too, here in Korea I don't work mornings and get plenty of sunlight shopping in the mornings, walking to work, just going out and about.
Lack of sunlight isn't the issue in this part of Korea.
Get out in the winter sun more in the mornings you hagwon ESLers that can, and see what changes you feel. A walk for a walk's sake can do marvels anyways.
On another front: It's also said that S.A.D. is hard to distinguish from depression in general. |
Granted, maybe you've got a point there. But most people don't live down south on Geoje-do ("The Island of Fantasy"), but rather in smoggy Seoul. Clouds can affect the equation, true. But SAD has much to do with the amount of light a person experiences in a given day. Waking up to sunlight can be very helpful. Getting outside during the day and looking at the sun (or thereabouts) can do wonders, I think. Maybe those who sleep-in until 11AM (or 1pm) may be very much affected. Agreed, mornings are important.
Cheers!  |
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