As winter drags on, some of us may feel "seasonal depression"



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Officially, it has only been "winter" for about a month, but it feels like it has lasted much longer! It's not uncommon for people to be down in the dumps about it -- with the long stretch of snow and cold -- but "seasonal depression" tends to sneak up on us.

It is easy to be less than enthused on another bitterly cold day. At this rate, winter seems endless -- and thinking warm thoughts is hard to do when the furnace is laying in the yard!

Jeff Lubchanski escaped 14 inches of snow out east to find temperatures below that figure at his son's home in Milwaukee.

"This morning it was two degrees in Morganville, New Jersey, and it was two degrees in Milwaukee, Wisconsin," Lubchanski said.

Lubchanski says with the cold and the snow, it's easy to find reasons to stay cooped up all day.

"You know, poor road conditions, you don't want to deal with the cold and you just get cabin fever and drive yourself nuts!" Lubchanski said.

That's why therapist Harry Lewis says it is important to stay comfortable and busy in your own space.

"Often we think that we are trapped, but there are so many things that we can do in the house. For example, I like gardening. I'm going through gardening books right now," Lewis said.

Bob Wobick was working to install a furnace at Lubchanski's son's home on Wednesday, January 22nd. He was stuck in a cold van for about half the time cutting tin. So does he get down in the dumps about the cold?

"Not unless I get a cold!" Wobick said.

Keeping a sense of humor about things is also good advice. Wobick says he finds ways to keep himself busy, even when he's at home.

"Try to figure out what's going on for the next day and keep going on," Wobick said.

Lewis says Seasonal Affective Disorder can sneak up on us, and may begin with a general feeling of boredom. Another indication is over-sleeping.

Lewis says finding simple says to engage ourselves, either inside the home or outside, will help us break this feeling of cabin fever.