Dmitry Samoilov Why are we so anxious in the fall and do not want to work 09.14.2024, 08:27

The summer is over, but the good news is that we got through it. Personally, I wasn’t sure things would turn out so well. But the summer was good and now we have to move on in short bursts. In modern conditions, the planning horizon is not so much overwhelmed as indistinguishable.

They say there is a special autumn depression. Apparently, this condition is not clinical, but rather disturbing; symptoms include anxiety, loss of appetite, a sense of hopelessness, lethargy and decreased performance. This seems to be the normal working state of an adult. However, if you pay attention to these symptoms, especially seasonally, you can generally cope with them.

Anxiety increases with decreasing daylight hours. Here we must not forget that a modern city dweller is quite conditionally tied to daylight hours. The sun is of course necessary for the mood, but it affects the quality of life in a very indirect way. You can occupy yourself with a book about human history. This makes it easier to see the huge path our ancestors have taken to the present situation, where we can afford to enjoy all the benefits of civilization at any time of the day.

Reading books to treat seasonal depression is more productive than scrolling through your feed of alarming news, and here’s why. The human brain was originally designed to process large amounts of information, and our time does not burden it much. For example, a traditional hunter-gatherer walking a hundred meters through the forest received no less information than a modern office worker reading social networks while drinking his morning coffee. The point is that the information we are used to receiving today, in most cases, we do not need it – we do not process it in any way, do not discuss it, do not apply it. Something fell somewhere, something fell somewhere, someone said something somewhere. Just count how long it took you to read this topic. And what is the result? Another anxiety attack. Reading books, as an integral part of knowledge, at least broadens your horizons and allows you to look at known things from different angles. In addition, you can always find another topic for conversation, and pleasant communication also has a positive effect on your emotional state.

Loss of appetite should be seen as a gift. I’m exaggerating of course, but when you look at the variety of catering establishments in big cities, you might think that all people do is eat. No appetite? No problem, you can live with that for a while. If you pay attention to the gossip columns, you’ll see that world-class stars are spending tens of thousands of dollars on today’s trendy appetite suppressants.

If self-hypnosis does not work, it makes sense to turn to the variety already mentioned. It seems that in Moscow you can even find crab meat eclairs. The very fact of the existence of such a delicacy already slightly reduces the degree of depressive mood. It is both funny and interesting.

The feeling of hopelessness is by no means constructive, it is only at the level of formulation. As Jaroslav Hasek wrote, “It never was, it never was. It somehow happened.” In the sense that any period changes, any historical event ends, conflicts subside, and progress is unstoppable, simply because people tend to strive for a more comfortable life.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the period we are in will give way to a more prosperous period, but no one promises the contrary either. In this case, whether seasonal or permanent, one should think about how to increase one’s chances of survival and extend one’s acceptable lifespan. In this sense, autumn is the time to go to the doctor. I have learned that in city clinics, if you only complain of heartburn, they can easily refer you for all general tests. It is worth starting with this, then you will find something useful to do and get involved in. It is really useful – you need to take care of your health.

Drowsiness is treated by walking. More precisely: if you walk a lot, you probably won’t want to sleep less, but you will have the feeling that you are sleeping because you walked a lot, not in vain. They still try to take 10-15 thousand mandatory steps a day. So you can walk to work or other business.

Of course, insomnia develops against the background of anxiety, and this is the cause of drowsiness. But we should start with the obvious observance of routine sleep hygiene – exclude alcohol, do not eat two hours before the desired time of falling asleep and turn off all gadgets an hour before. If a person does not have any pathology in his psyche, then most likely, compliance with these simple rules will help him improve his sleep. It sounds too simple to be true. But we are used to waiting for magic recipes for miracle pills from everywhere. If you work with it slowly and in the simplest ways, then reality is quite flexible and changeable.

Decreased ability to work has a special place in the list of possible symptoms of autumn depression. Apparently, because it is rarely associated with the season. Reluctance to work is a completely normal state for most people. And if there is no desire, then the ability will decrease. But here the previous symptoms – anxiety and a sense of hopelessness – can come to the rescue. If everything is so alarming and hopeless, doesn’t it make sense to change everything? For example, change your job or field of activity in general. Of course, there is also the possibility of bad luck, and often such a decision will not turn out very successfully. But think about it: what have you got to lose? One reluctance will be replaced by another. And then, you see, autumn will end, and the new year will come. There is no need to make any more plans yet.

The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the editors’ position.