I was driving into the city last Saturday. The sky was grey and dull. And it made me feel grey and dull, which wouldn’t have been helped by the fact that I had a relatively late night on Friday at the Guild of Agricultural Journalism awards.

But it is a time of the year that I have never really liked – precisely because of dull, damp days like last Saturday. And I know I’m not the only one who suffers a bit of a mood swing at this time of the year.

I was scrolling through Facebook on Sunday and I came across a post from a Canadian journalist friend of mine. She put up a link to a study which showed that almost half of all Canadians struggle with some form of anxiety. That is quite the figure. And I thought Canadians were the most chilled people on the planet.

Mental challenges

It just shows that mood swings and various forms of mental challenges, from feeling a bit down to having chronic anxiety or depression, miss but only a few of us.

Thankfully, nowadays we have done well to reach a point where people feel free to share these thoughts online, just like my friend in Canada.

I’d never have known in a million years that she suffered from anxiety as the few times I’ve met her at various agricultural events around the world she came across as being the calmest, happiest person you could meet.

But she posted: “Despite our privileges, anxiety is real to those of us who suffer... but on ‘good’ days, I see the irrationality of it. My go-to coping mechanism? Getting out of my house and TALKING to people. About anything.”

Underneath, the thread of discussion began and I was amazed at just how many of her online friends put their hands up to say, “yep, me too”.

Sun

There is evidence to show how the scarcity of sun and light have a negative impact on the human condition. I think if we accept that it actually has a calming effect, rather than nurturing the beast of anxiety which feeds off the cycle of fear and worry.

Smothering the feelings of panic caused by not knowing what is happening is the key to keeping a lid on anxiety.

I’m no expert. I have never been diagnosed with anxiety nor have I ever had to seek help. I am lucky. But that is not to say that, as was the case driving along the quays in Dublin wishing I could go back to bed and wake up with the sun shining in the window, that I am soundproof from it.

Smothering the feelings of panic caused by not knowing what is happening is the key to keeping a lid on anxiety

In fact, I am sure if that Canadian study was carried out in Ireland, the result would be similar, roughly half of us reporting that we struggle with anxiety. I’d say I am at the very mild end of the scale compared with the tales I read on my friend’s timeline.

I have always adopted the default defence of accepting it is something which will come and go, land and fly away again, and by simply applying the mind to other more important matters or getting out of the house and doing something active, it will ease and evaporate.

So be reassured, it is that time of the year when it is OK to feel a little bit crap not really knowing why.

The joys of discovering new technology

I mentioned here before how I must be the only Irishman never to visit Spain, shop in IKEA or travel on the Luas. And up until recently I’d never used Spotify, but my children Deirbhile and Patrick introduced it to me and I can play it through the car. And I am like a child with a new toy.