Summer Blues

Symptoms & Treatments
1

Usually people feel depressed and sick in the winter months but generally I feel worse in the summer. There are a couple reasons why: the sun, the up and down temperatures, allergies, the oppressive heat and humidity, plus we get a lot of thunderstorms where I live. All those humid rainy days really make my joints and muscles ache, and the things that help in the winter like hot baths and heating pads aren’t helpful in 90 degree heat. Last summer I took prednisone which helped since I flare more in the summer. I’m doing the same this summer but some days the pain is still really intense. Other than sunscreen, staying indoors during the middle of the day, etc. is there anything else that helps to beat the heat?

Also since I flip-flop and feel worse in the summer when many others are enjoying the outdoors barbequing, going to the beach, hanging by the pool I tend to get depressed. In the winter time everyone is inside more so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. And, I don’t know if this is weird or not but during cold/flu season when a lot of people are sick it feels kind of nice like you’re not suffering alone for once…everyone is on an equal playing field so to speak until I catch a cold than it’s back to feeling even worse again. What are some low energy activities than you can do to keep you occupied?

2

I find that anything that really distract’s the mind to help immensely. I rely heavily on computer games to distract myself. Movies, reading, find something you enjoy doing and do it often.
http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/10/video-games-help-relieve-pain/13660.html

3

Are you adept in any art or craft at all? If not find something that you think you would really enjoy doing and think you would be good at. Attend some courses/workshops on learning or upgrading your skills on whatever you have chosen, then go ahead, make them and sell them on the internet.

This is great because you can work when you can, rest when you need to, feel good because you are doing something you enjoy and best of all you are your own boss and making some money as you do it.