Originally Posted by
MindfulMan 
I'm very fortunate to live in LA and NOT in one of the Valleys, where it's 10+ degrees hotter. We do get a few days of hot, last week VERY hot...it was 108 at my house. But that's rare, not even a yearly occurrence. I have AC, but try not to use it most days. It's also not all that humid. Another thing about SoCal that makes summer a bit easier is that it's semidesert, so it cools WAY down at night. I grew up on the East Coast and I remember the hot summer nights. I lived at the beach in Venice for 15 years without air and rarely wished for it.
I have pretty bad classic SAD, even getting depressed here in SoCal in the winter and, when I lived at the beach, during "May Gray" and "June Gloom." Most of the time SoCal is perfect for me. When I lived in Michigan, I wanted to slit my wrists by March every year. I LOATHE winter. I can visit it for a few days....Thanksgiving in Alaska or Christmas in Philly, but always glad to be back to California.
I have a friend who has "reverse SAD." She hates heat and the long days, she never liked California and is ecstatic to be back on the East coast and treasures the snow, cold and short days of winter. She gets anxious and depressed in the summer. About 10% of SAD cases are like this, more are short-day depressive.
Give me summer anytime.
I was born in LA but lived most of my life (39 years) in the Bay Area. Yeah its pretty darned nice....and crowded....and expensive. So there's that! I went to UCSB and I have to say, that is the nicest weather of anywhere I have ever lived. Fabulous! Except I do like my winters....well actually Hawaii wasn't bad either. I love that humid weather....as long as there is the ocean and the trade winds. I remember adjusting so much to the weather that I would literally be cold when it was 80. haha. My major complaint about Idaho is the dry air. That part sucks. Oh and the fact that it has no diversity and is just a little, ehem, conservative. But that's changing...albeit slowly.
Yeah SAD is really rough for sure. And I definitely have reverse SAD. But its more anxiety than depression....although the exhaustion of dealing with anxiety can cause depression, if that makes any sense. I am totally capable of handling it as long as I take really good care of myself....and of course, absolutely no drinking.
You sound like you are living in the perfect place for you! That is great!