Without fail and about the same time each year, a case of the winter blues creeps in.

I used to think I avoided this phenomenon, but I think instead I just buried my head in the proverbial snow. It’s tough to recognize you are down in the moment, but then looking back, hindsight could not be more clear.

This thought has been tugging at my brain these last few weeks, which gives me hope that I am on the back end of the annual affliction.

It started mid-December, when the Troutman clan took a trip to Orlando to celebrate my sister’s baby shower. It was a beautiful event, and I am beyond happy I got to celebrate with my sister in person as she welcomes her first child into the world in coming weeks.

As exciting and joyous a time as it was, the before and after have been a struggle. Jordan and I left on a Wednesday afternoon and dropped our girls in Little Rock to fly the first leg with my mother, as we loaded our car with baby stuff, like the basinet our youngest used, and drove the rest of the night through to the rental house where everyone was staying and the shower was to be held.

I used to pride myself on the ability to drive 12-16 hours without much difficulty. But I’ll say this time, it’s not a drive I care to make straight through ever again.

After the 18-20 hours on the road, I had to get back to work. I built and sent our Santa Letters section and began working on the next week’s paper, as we were leaving Sunday morning and would not get home until Monday night.

We made a short pit stop in Destin, staying in a beachfront condo, but check-in was late and we brought the Missouri cold to the panhandle. Only 60 degrees on the beach, the ocean was the coldest I’d ever felt it, and no one wants to be bundled up in the sand.

We made it home and got our schedule back on track, then the sickness hit. There are four people in our household, and each of us got our own week of whatever the germ of the day was at the time.

From fatigue to fevers to vomiting, it was not until the second week of January that we all managed to get healthy and stay that way.

From talking to other community members, we were not alone in that regard. Hopefully the bugs have all made their rounds and everyone, and their kids, are mostly better now.

Alas, just when our girls got better enough to get back in the school and daycare grind, the arctic weather set in.

I’m a fan of snow in general. I think there should be at least one good 3-inch blanket of flakes each year — just one. Sadly, this year’s decent snowfall came with temperatures so frigid it was not as fun to be outside in it.

Flash forward to this week and another day out of school for Monday’s sheet of ice and I think we’ve all had enough time inside.

Winter blues, which is not a medical diagnosis, has been under study for decades now, with the science showing things like shorter days and less sunlight contributing to a morose outlook. Even more severe is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a clinical diagnosis linked directly to less daylight hours and interference with the circadian rhythm over a period of time.

According to the National Institute of Health, SAD can lead to a gloomy outlook and make the afflicted feel hopeless, worthless or irritable, or make them lose interest in activities or hobbies.

For those dealing with these seasonal difficulties, one of the best cures is behavioral. Doing things like dinners with friends or volunteering, or even something as simple as going for a walk, can help.

Exercise is a great way to increase endorphins and combat seasonal sadness, and it has the added benefit of working off that holiday season weight gain.

If nothing seems to work for you, or someone you know who is struggling, talking to a doctor or mental health provider may be the ticket to more effective techniques.

With the first day of spring just under two months away, I wish everyone a happier, healthier, sunnier, precipitation- less remainder of the winter season. Hang in there.

Kyle Troutman has served as the editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and became Publisher in 2023. He was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers in 2017, and he won a Golden Dozen Award from ISWINE in 2022. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville- democrat.com.