Feeling the winter blues right now? You're not alone.

Depression grips everyone differently. To Trista Kempa, it means lying in bed and wishing she never woke up.

"It’s not that I wish I was dead," the 30-year-old New Yorker clarifies. "I just feel like I’m missing any feeling at all."

When Kempa was a college student living in Michigan, a doctor told her she she may have seasonal affective disorder — a form of depression, fittingly dubbed "SAD," that typically strikes when the days grow shorter in fall and winter. For patients, a persistent decrease in sunlight exposure may cause mood swings, energy loss, increased anxiety, and more.

It's the winter blues on steroids.



GIF by Emma Darvick.

Keep Reading Show less
mental health depression winter cold seasonal affective disorder sunlight seasons
Family

Kesha's got some solid tips for beating the holiday blues.

'It's not selfish to take time for yourself.'

If you have a tough time getting through the holidays, Kesha's got some great advice.

The past few years have been a bumpy ride for the singer-songwriter — largely sidelined while she battled producer Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, who she maintains sexually assaulted her, in court — but Kesha Rose Sebert emerged as a true force to be reckoned with in 2017. In August, she released "Rainbow," her first album since 2012, to absolutely rave reviews. A month prior, she opened up about using her art as an outlet to cope with depression and an eating disorder.

Despite the triumphant year, she, like millions around the world, struggles around the holidays.

Keep Reading Show less
holidays mental health depression self-care twitter winter kesha seasonal depression
Family

Elephants in sweaters are adorable. Until you realize why they have them.

In North India, winter temperatures are dropping to record lows, causing problems for crops, trains, and an ex-circus performer named Suzy.

Suzy is toothless, blind, and just one of 23 formerly abused elephants living at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura, India.

"The rescued elephants under rehabilitation at Wildlife SOS have been rescued from shocking circumstances," said Geeta Seshamani, the center's secretary and co-founder. "We aim to provide them with a safe habitat where they can live like elephants.

Keep Reading Show less
environment climate change animals elephants weather winter cold temperatures
Most Shared

As temperatures drop, pipeline protesters join together to winterize Standing Rock.

Winter is coming at Standing Rock. Are these new teepees the answer?

There is more to Standing Rock than protests. Every day is an exercise in peaceful prayer and building community.

In the few short weeks I’ve been at Standing Rock, I’ve witnessed the violence of three major incidents involving police and water protectors. I’ve also witness hundreds of people come together to protect sacred water sources and lands — all the while being under constant surveillance and psychological violence.

Sunset at Standing Rock. Photo by Wendy Carrillo.

Keep Reading Show less
empathy for all culture good deeds inspiration heroes clean water protests activism responding well current events innovation being a better human winter places north dakota protesters standing rock sioux standing rock dapl activists dakota access pipe line water protectors missouri river teepees
More