Chilling consequences of dark winter thoughts

Each year, the winter solstice sun penetrates the chamber of the passage tomb at Newgrange in County Meath, on the eastern side of Ireland. A narrow beam of light penetrates the roof-box and reaches the floor of the chamber and as the sun rises higher, the beam widens so that the whole room is dramatically lighted up. This annual phenomenon lasts for 17 minutes, beginning around 9 a.m. from December 19 – 23. As I stand in the darkness waiting for the light to pierce through, I am reminded of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Anthem’. There is a line that goes, ‘ There is a crack in everything…That’s how the light gets in..’ A paradox indeed.

The crack to me symbolises imperfection. Imperfection can be anything ranging from disappointments, unfulfilled expectations and broken promises to flaws. Life unfortunately is full of these which become fissures or cracks in our subconscious. It is not uncommon to hear of people in my neighbourhood go into depression and then take their lives when they could see no way out. According to the Irish Central, Ireland’s suicide rate now stands at a shocking 600 deaths per year – and it is believed that the figure is rising as the country experiences the pain of recession. Apparently, in every 57 seconds someone calls the Samaritans with suicidal feelings and the majority of callers are men in their 30s.

As the year draws to a close, I seem to hear a lot of people getting depressed. Some refer to the winter months as the hard months or the “dark ages” as the midshipmen at the Naval Academy say. They feel that the weather prevents them from doing their normal outdoor activities. They miss the sunshine and feel locked in. I am not a medical doctor but much has also been said about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression, winter blues, summer depression, summer blues, or seasonal depression. This is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter, summer, spring or autumn year after year.

Some winter depression busters according to experts are watching the level of sugar intake, stocking up on Omega-3, joining a gym, wearing bright colours and making a concerted effort to go outside the house. Taking up challenging projects that contribute towards society also helps. It seems cliché to say that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I cannot imagine what goes on in the mind of a person who contemplates taking his own life but I am sure it is very, very dark indeed. How sad it is to know of people you have talked to one day who were gone the next. The only thing that comes through my mind is to cling on to hope. Hope that things will change, hope that things will become better. If only we can stand fast and wait for that word of comfort, that person, that idea or that miracle. If only we can wait for the light of dawn to break.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/chilling-consequences-of-dark-winter-thoughts-1.186714#