Well, this sucks and I totally know how you feel. The winter does stink but what i'd do is book yourself a two day trip asap! I'm seeing someone who definitely suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder.. his mood changes and he's just all around not happy so I try to keep his mind off of it, we've booked a trip to Miami and I keep him busy.. So, maybe you can get a group of girls together for a night of cocktails and a great dinner.. and yes please be thankful you have a job, because soo many others are losing theirs..

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Start taking a daily B complex vitamin, and make sure you get 10 - 15 minutes of sun every day, even if it's cold outside. (Sit in a warm window.) Our bodies need sun to feel good and function well.

As far as the job thing goes, I was in a similar situation. I HATED my job but felt like leaving it would be a horrible idea. Then I was laid off and ended up finding something better. So take steps toward getting the job you really want. Print business cards for yourself at home and use them to network, post a resume on the popular job sites (you can even hide your name so as not to risk your current job.) Every day, do just one thing toward your goal. You'll feel a lot better.

And think of it this way - if you find a new job and move on, you're leaving that position open for someone who doesn't have work at all. See, it all works out!

I completely know how you feel. It's really tough to be cheerful and positive when the daily grind is miserable and the winter weather is even worse. Some things I've taken up to help me out:

- I started yoga. Not the intensely physical yoga (although I'm sure that's good too) but the meditative/relaxation-oriented yoga. It. Is. Amazing. After only one session, I felt the knots in my shoulder muscles relaxing a bit... and my yoga-companions told me that your relaxation only improves with each session. Since I just recently started, I am looking forward to the long-term benefits! It has already helped me feel more calm and positive, though.

- I took up knitting. I NEVER thought I would do this, but it is somehow soothing - you get into a rhythm and it calms your mind. Plus, it makes me feel kind of productive because the end result is something useful like a scarf =)

- I stocked up on happy music (hello, Stevie Wonder and The Emotions - try to be unhappy while listening to "Best Of My Love" - it's impossible) and chick flicks. They are both great escapes from the winter blues. Oh, and I always have an interesting book going as yet another escape.

In terms of sleeping better, these things helped me a lot:

- I got a humidifier. It sounds like a trivial thing, but having a humidifier next to my bed has helped me sleep wonderfully. First, it counteracts the dryness many of us experience with using our heating systems during the winter, so that's great. Second, it makes a soft, soothing, white-noise type of sound that is great to sleep to! I wish I had done this sooner, I just never thought it was that important (my Mom bought be the humidifier for Christmas, so that's what made me start using it).

- Every night before I fall asleep, I think of all the things in my life for which I am thankful. All of the people and opportunities, etc. Again, it probably seems like something simple and trivial to do but it really helps put you in a good state of mind. I have been doing it for weeks now, and I think every time I do it it makes a gradual (positive) difference. I can definitely say that I feel better now than I did weeks ago, and I am sure this exercise has something to do with it.

Hope some of this helps - sorry for the novel, I just sympathize so much with anyone suffering the winter blues because they really got to me this winter too. These tips help though... although I still can't wait for spring

Oh, I'm like this all winter. It starts in November and peaks in January. I don't have a huge amount of advice, but you should consider that your depression is triggered by changes in sunlight and invest in a SAD light machine - it's supposed to work really well. I should probably get one myself. This winter, knitting has really helped me - having solid projects to work on, especially if they are gifts, gives me a sense of purpose. Also, my boyfriend and I took a vacation together over New Year's and that really perked up my winter season. good luck!

Take a Vitamin D pill.

Does Vitamin D really help?

My hubby has been feeling blue this winter too, you're not alone!

Yes, Vitamin D really helps. But instead of supplements, get outside. That's the best (and cheapest) way to get Vitamin D and it's necessary to function normally.

gooniette I couldn't agree more. The sun is the best natural form of vitamin D and is known as a great mood booster. Although when you live here (Boston) and it is 4 degrees outside the last thing you want is to go outside even if it is sunny.

I might need to buy a sun lamp. Ha.

Life is a series of ups and downs. Sometimes it's hard to know if those ups and downs are caused by circumstances in ones life, or a problem like SADS.

Assuming it's circumstancial, we aren't supposed to be happy all the time. Feeling like crap is an indication that we need to change something in our lives.

Now if you feel like this every winter it probably is an issue you should see a doctor about.

I know completely how you feel! I've been struggling with it myself, since a breakup got me down and now I find myself having trouble bouncing back. I think its partly the winter blues. Like Colomiansugar I started Yoga and it has helped. I am in a "feats of yoga" where we do handstands and all kinds of circus-type activites and generally have a good laugh. There are also laughing classes they offer, as hokey as they sound it does actually make you feel better.

I've also tried to get outside more to soak up the sun and vitamin D. No one berate me too much, but I visited the tanning bed ONCE when it was really cloudy outside and I could really tell a difference in my feeling (obviously some of it may have been the placebo effect).

I try to do something everyday that gets me out of the house and motivates me. For instance, I'll go to the gym to use the rowing machines in anticipation for summer and my new kayak. Just planning for summer activities makes me a little happier.

Jeny also has great advise but I'm on a tight budget so these suggestions are what have helped me.

Maybe if you start thinking about how quickly spring and summer will creep up and start exercising and get ready for summer you might feel a little better. Give yourself a goal and time will go by a little faster.

This is the time to start projects or something time consuming that you normally don't have time to get to. Especially since you have extra time on your hands from being inside, you can take your time on whatever you decide to do.

Have a few friends over. Get a spray tan. Little things like that always help me feel better. I am not a fan of winter AT ALL. SO I completely feel your pain.

Get some sun. Helps to boost the serotonin levels in your brain. And find a hobby, or exercise, just do something for yourself and make yourself do it. Sometimes when you're in a mood like that getting up and doing something for yourself seems like a chore, but trust me, once you get going you'll enjoy yourself.

Yes Vitamin D helps. With the negative temperature here and lack of sunlight a vitamin D pill will help every thing. I learned it from Oprah. She films her shows back to back. Starting early morning and ending after the sun goes down. She had the "winter blues" but it wasn't just during the winter. Come to find out she's vitamin D deficient.

Another option, if you're not afraid of cancer, my friend goes tanning just during the winter.

Winter Blues - I feel like I am dealing w. Life Blues. I have been very depressed lately - oh well