Don't let the cold weather get you down, says counselling centre CEO

What a difference a year makes.

Friday's high of –10 C in Calgary was a stark contrast to conditions seen on the same day last year, when the mercury topped out at 18 C.

The average daytime high for this time of year is 10 C, a full 20 degrees higher than what the city is currently experiencing.

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That's the result of a polar vortex that's stubbornly hanging around, said Environment Canada meteorologist Dan Kulak.

"The difference this year is where it's positioned," he told CBC Calgary News at 6.

"It's much further south and to the west than where you might expect it to be in the early part of April."

The refusal by Old Man Winter to release his icy grip on the city has been a source of ongoing consternation for many, which can leave some feeling down, says Calgary Counselling Centre CEO Robbie Babins-Wagner.

Extended periods of bad weather can translate into a five per cent jump in calls to places like the counselling centre.

"Mostly people are grumpy. I don't know anybody who isn't complaining about the weather and the cold," she said.

"But for people who are homebound, who may be vulnerable to depression, or sadness, or loneliness, and they feel more isolated because of the cold, I think this can take more of a social and possibly a psychological toll than it would for most people."

Babins-Wagner added that while some will feel depressed, that doesn't mean everyone who's down is experiencing depression.

"Not for most people. We use depression now in everyday talk, where oftentimes people are just feeling a bit blue, a bit down, a bit low," she said.

"Those feeling low, blue, down, aren't [experiencing] depression. Depression will really prevent people from getting up in the morning, from going to work, from going to school, from talking to people. Depression itself can have a profound impact on people. With this, I think we're just feeling annoyed and wishing spring would come faster."

There are ways to fight the blues, however, and one of them is "look for some positives" while finding ways to get out of the house, even if only for short periods.

"One of the positives I've been looking for these days is sunshine," said Babins-Wagner.

"It was glorious earlier this afternoon when the sun was out, albeit it was cold and windy. It was really nice out, and that is a draw for people to leave the house and get outside."

And those feeling down because of the cold weather this week can take heart, as Kulak says a warm spell is forecast for next week. Temperatures are expected to reach the seasonal average — as  high as 10 C — by Tuesday.

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