Hi Jacob,

I think many people feel alot of hopelessness, sadness and depression during the shorter months (is it winter there?) I am in the United States, I live in a cold state. We barely see the sun, it doesn’t start getting light out (dawn) until 7:45 am. It’s dark by 6pm. Although the days are getting a little longer, it’s still very frigid (going to get below 0 tonight).

Many people struggle with the shorter days with cloudy gloomy days, hardly any sun. This is called SAD or (Seasonal Affective Disorder) it is a real mental illness. You can Google it to find out more about it. This may be what you are going through. 1 out of 7 people struggle with this, leaving them suicidal ideation, depressed, unmotivated, and everything you described. There is hope, there is help. First you can go to a mental health clinic and get screened for depression and seasonal affective disorder. There are many medications that help with this. Don’t eorry, they won’t turn you into a “zombie” or “numb” you. I take Wellbutrin, as I too struggle with this, and I have got my life back, motivation, etc.

There are also supplements you can take such as Vitamin D3, (I take 1000IU), and Fish oil capsules (Omega 3), that have been proven to help people with sadness during the shorter months with little sunlight. Many people in Norway and Alaska where a research was done report feeling a sense of well being after taking Vitamin D, and Fish or Cod Liver Oil. (I take 1 teaspoon Carlson’s Cod Liver oil, lemon flavored before dinner) and it helps greatly.

As far as your job, it sounds like you may need to pursue something you find purpose in. It’s not much fun to spend all day at a job that is not fulfilling. There is a good book called “What Color is Your Parachute” which asks questions and matches your personality to a job tailored to that. It is a best-selling book, updated ever year. It has been around for a long time. I hope others will post with any suggestions or advice. I hope you feel better soon, please keep posting.