Increasingly, mental health is a subject that is being broached more often, both online and in conversation. At this point is quite well understood how depression can be seasonally affected, particularly in regard to the shorter days and reduced exposure to sunlight during the wintertime. This darker time of the year incites in many people a darker outlook on the world, with altered brain hormones affecting their perspective on the world around them. This is something that I struggle with each year, and I know many other people struggle in a similar way.

Unfortunately, along with fewer daylight hours, other depression triggers for me include lack of social interaction, lack of regular exercise, and boredom (the last of these being the most difficult to conquer). All of these “other” factors are ones that intend to affect me most during the summer months, when there tends to be enforced holiday time, temperatures too hot to go outside much, and excess time on my hands that I have responsibility for using as I please.

The next problem that comes along with those above is convincing others that this is a real problem that negatively affects me and, no doubt, others too.

Unfortunately, particularly during my teenage years, low social interaction, lack of exercise, and boredom can all be perceived as laziness by the average parent. The difference for me was that I really wanted to do things, I really wanted to achieve things, and be productive, I simply couldn’t. A combination of factors conspired against me such as brain chemistry causing executive (decision-making) dysfunction and a tendency towards depression and anxiety.

Teenagerdom aside, summer still threatens me, but not as badly as it used to. University summers were painful, much longer than high school, but after that I was working through the year and the structure was excellent in keeping my mind on track.

More recently I was working at a school and the same old summer depression resurfaced with a vengeance. Ugh.

Fortunately my career has moved on from that role, and now I am once again happily occupied with a rewarding job that occupies me throughout the year. The challenge of convincing others still confronts me once in a while, however most of my friends have a good understanding of mental health in all its many colourful varieties, so I generally feel supported and understood.

In addition to an amazing job, the thing that has make the most difference to me in my life recently, has been starting anti-depressants. Though caution should always be advised when starting any new medicine, I also wish to say never underestimate the power of a pill. For me, this was exactly what I needed. The anti-depressants keep my motivation baseline a wee bit higher, my life satisfaction a bit better, and have improved my ability to get moving in the mornings greatly.

To summarise this slightly rambling reflective piece I just want to remind you all to strive for what you need and want in live. If you need disability support for an invisible illness such as depression or chronic fatigue syndrome (or sim.) you deserve to have it. If you want to work for yourself, give it your best effort (even if your mother says you’ll never succeed), and if you need to change your job because its destroying your mental health, just do it.

You are powerful, you can change your world.

Just believe it, and then take one small step after another.