Do typically rainly areas make people feel 'under the weather'?

Question

Is there reliable evidence around that living in certain areas with a lot of precipitation and overcast increases one's risk of depression?
Recently, to my disbelief, someone told me that cities such as West coast Vancouver and Seattle have higher rates of suicide mainly due to the rainy weather they experience.

Answer 1

HMMM I don't know about scientific proff but I know that rain has the completely opposite affect on me. When ever it rains or we get a thunder storm I am instantly in a great mood I LOVE this kind of weather. I think it just depends on personal preference and weather or not you have it in you head that rain bums you out or makes you happy.

Answer 2

Yes, I think it may be true. I heard the same from a friend of mine who lived in Seattle. She said she would often feel down.

This is why alot of people also feel down during winter too. If you leave for work before good light is available and leave work when it is dusk, it's not a very good feeling. I remember experiencing this too. It makes you feel sad when you feel you've been enclosed in a building all day.

There has also been proven scientific research on how getting about 20 minutes a day of sun can stimulate some hormone in your body that make you happy.

Answer 3

There's an illness called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) where people get depressed with bad weather, shorter days (and no daylight in the winter within the Arctic circle). So a form of that probably contributes.